Cruel Lesson
by chibi heishi
Summary: I still can't believe it. God, we should have seen it coming. We had twelve years worth of warning, if we had only paid attention. But we didn’t. In the end, we could only stand in shock and horror on that cruel day. The day that Konoha lost its children.
1. 12 Years Ago

A/N: Okay, I'm re-posting this because one of the characters in it started out vividly in my mind, but now I can't do anything with her, so I just deleted her from the story. She wasn't particularly important anyway. Also, this first person is really cheesy, but I promise that the rest of the story won't be so...melodramatic. But she sort of had to be.

Rating: Teen. Warnings - cursing, abuse, mild angst (sort of), and a focus on OC's. Disclaimer: I own nothing but some school books, so don't bother to sue. What I have isn't worth the legal fees.

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_I still can't believe it sometimes. I find myself glancing up; looking for something I always forget isn't there, will not be there again. God knows we should have seen it coming. We had twelve years worth of warning, if we had only paid attention. But we didn't, and in the end, we could only stand in shock and horror on that cruel day. The day that Konoha lost its children. _

_12 Years Ago _

**-Hikari-**

Hikari giggled like a girl, turning away to hide her blush. Her lover just smiled and pulled her tighter against his side. "Beautiful" he whispered in her ear, letting his lips trail across her cheek as he pulled back. He rested his dark head on the shoulder of the young woman beside him. She sighed deeply. "God, I wish we didn't have to do this. I wish… I wish you could stay right here with me." The young man tightened the arm wrapped around her waist and lifted his head, waiting until her green eyes met his own brown ones. "Hi-chan, love, it won't be long." He reached out with his free hand, pulling one of her smaller hands in front of them both and letting his eyes drift briefly to the small silver ring she wore. "Soon, love, we'll tell the world. The papers will be ready soon, and there is nothing my clan can say to us once we're legally wed. Just a few more days, and my house will finally be home. _Our_ home." Hikari's smile softened, and her free hand reached up to touch her lover's – no, her fiancée's – face. "I know." He released her hand and leaned in for one last kiss before he stood. "I have to go now; they'll come looking if I'm gone too long. I love you, sweetheart."

--

Hikari looked around curiously. Why was everyone looking so horrified? The entire marketplace was buzzing with quiet voices, but no business was being done. Spotting a young ninja weaving quickly through the crowd, she stepped into his path and asked what was going on. He spoke a few quick words before darting around her. Hikari stood frozen for a moment, shock written across her face. Conversations stopped and every face in the market turned to look as the pretty young woman in the purple kimono fell screaming to her knees.

--

Tears ran down her face. Her hands trembled as she placed a single, red rose before the cold black stone. "Why?" she whispered, her voice almost as broken as her once-bright eyes. "We were going defy the world, to throw their arrogance back in their faces. We were going to be happy, to raise a family together. Oh, God – _why_?" Hikari curled around herself, letting her dull eyes rest on the small bottle dropped near the foot of the memorial. Her eyes drifted closed, and she waited to join her beloved.

--

A dull beeping sound roused her partly to wakefulness. Green eyes slowly slipped open, squinting nearly closed again when confronted with the bright white ceiling. She lay still in the warm, slightly hard bed and tried to figure out where she was. _'Okay,'_ she thought. _'Bright ceiling, hard bed, beeping noise…hospital? But why - Oh.'_ Her eyes widened as memory rushed in. _'But wait…shouldn't I be dead? I'm sure I should be dead.'_ Just as she was about to sob, a warm voice spoke from the doorway.

"So, you're awake, huh?" She looked over to find one of the medical ninja standing just inside the room. "Why…" she started to ask, but couldn't quite finish. "Are you still alive?" the medic finished for her. Hikari just nodded slightly. "Because you got lucky. You'll really have to thank Kakashi-kun; if he hadn't found you then you would have died. As it is, you're fine. And while it's honestly a little early to be sure, it looks like the baby will be alright as well." As Hikari stared, a voice called out from the hallway. The medic gave her a brief nod before he strode out to answer the call.

Therefore, there was no one in the room to see Hikari place one hand lightly over her stomach. No one to hear the word she whispered softly. "Baby…?"

**-Masara-**

The ninja glanced down at the bundle she carried as she leaped through the treetops. _'Still secure. Good.'_ She shifted her attention when one of her teammates broke the silence. "Masara, why do we have to bring that back with us? It's slowing us down, and it's not even our responsibility. Masara glared at the man, but was saved from speech as her other teammate answered for her. "It _is_ our responsibility, Jaken. It's all that is left of that disaster we called a mission. The Hokage can decide what to do with it, but for now we're bringing it back, and that is _final_." Masara glanced down as her bundle shifted. _'Damn'_ she thought, just before a loud wail erupted. She glared once more at her team. "You woke him up!"

--

Masara stood lightly on her feet, closely watching the old man. He, in turn, was watching the infant sleep. What truly amazed her, though, was the fact that he was not smoking. He had, in fact, put out his long pipe prior to stepping into the makeshift nursery. She could not recall a time when she had seen the Third Hokage without his pipe. Then the man in question looked at her and spoke quietly, making Masara pull her thoughts back into the present. "So," the Third mused. "The bandits the town wrote about were actually closer to an army, were they?" Masara nodded once. "Yes, sir. A small army, but still a large force. We beat them, but by the time we arrived at the town…" The Third just nodded, returning his eyes to the sleeping child. "And you're certain that this boy is the only survivor?" "Yes, sir. We searched, but he is the only one." The Third sighed. "Very well. I don't suppose he has a name?" Masara hesitated. "Well, 'Midori' was stitched into the blanket we found him under." The Third smiled, just a little. "Midori, hmm? Well, Midori-chan, welcome to Konoha."

**-Aira**-

_ 'Hold on'_ the woman thought. _'Almost there, just…just hold on. Please, please God, let them listen. Don't let them turn us away. If they do… I don't think we'll make it much farther.'_ Aira paused, resting one slender hand over her swollen belly. Moving again, she stumbled and fell. She closed her eyes, trying to swing one shoulder back and take the impact on her side. Desperately trying to protect her baby – from a blow that never came. She opened her eyes as she realized that there were strong arms wrapped around her waist, setting her back on her feet. Hands that steadied her when her knees tried to give out and spill her to the ground. Her gaze traveled up an expanse of green, to finally rest on the face of a teenager with a blinding smile – and the biggest eyebrows she had ever seen. "Are you…from Konoha?" Aira choked out, forcing her bruised throat to work. "Why, _yes!_" the young man declared, fires springing to life in his eyes. Aira had one last clear thought – _'you know, I bet he'd strike some kind of pose if he felt he could let go of me'_ – and then the world went dark as she collapsed, leaving a rather bewildered ninja with his arms full of pregnant redhead.

--

Aira opened her eyes slowly, and for a short moment panicked. Before she could sit up, a gentle voice spoke. "Calm down. Your baby and you both need to rest." Aira found herself staring at a kind-looking old man in white robes edged in red. He smiled at her around a long pipe and turned away. When he turned back, he held out a glass of water, and Aira tried to ask her questions with her eyes as she gratefully took his offering. The elder settled down in a chair beside her bed, and puffed on his pipe for a moment prior to speaking. "Well, I must say, you made quite an entrance." For a moment, his smile went from gentle to highly amused. "I do not believe I have ever seen Gai quite so bewildered. He couldn't strike his favorite poses with you in his arms, and he couldn't carry you on his back because of your child." Now the man snickered. "He didn't know what to do with himself." But then the old man became more serious. "So tell me, what would bring a woman in your condition all the way to Konoha?"

Aira looked at the floor in shame. She knew what he saw when he looked at her. A small woman, too thin aside from her bulging stomach. Red hair, shorn short and ragged. Blue eyes made darker by the circles underneath them and fading bruises tracing patterns along her arms, ending in a ring around her neck in the clear print of a large hand. Then she swallowed her pride. This was for her child, so pride be damned. Aira looked the old man in the eye. "I came from the Mist village. I'm no ninja, but my husband is. I… I ran away, when he was out on a mission."

Her voice sharpened, quickened, reflecting anger and desperation. "Do you know what the Mist does to its' ninja students? I found out. They have to kill each other. I… I don't want that for my baby! I want my child to be safe, to be able to laugh and play. To have friends and teachers, not enemies and masters!" At the end of her tirade, Aira had to pause for breath. The old man just watched her for an instant, and then he reached over and laid one of his hands on top of hers. "Alright. I think that can be arranged." Aira broke down and cried for the first time in months.

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A/N: So, what do you think? Is it bad, good, okay? I can't improve if no one tells me what I do wrong. Just tell me you read it if nothing else. Also, any guesses on whose words the fist part is? I'd love to hear your suspicions.


	2. 10 Years Ago

A/N: This -- means a change in scene/point of view.

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10 Years Ago

**-Karas-**

The little one slept, unaware of the hurried footsteps and harsh whispers as others moved quickly but quietly in the outer halls. Despite the efforts of those outside, the calm aura of the night was subtly broken. The boy shifted, turning over in his bed as a vague sense of unease stole into his dreams.

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Hyuuga Karas chewed worriedly on his lower lip, and then craned his head back to look up at the clock. The four year old dropped his chin onto his folded arms, staring across the table in front of him to the door. _'She's late'_ was all the child could think._ 'Mommy was s'pose to be back quick enough to tuck me in last night. Now it's almost supper time today, and she's still not back.'_ The boy puffed out a breath, huffing silky black bangs out of his face. _'And she told me to stay inside till she got back.'_

A noise caught his attention. Curiosity and boredom outweighing obedience, the boy slid off of his chair and pattered to the front room. Slipping into his sandals, Karas slid open the door to the suite he shared with his mother. Peering around corners as he walked through the long corridors of the Hyuuga compound, the child's face lit up as he finally spotted one of the adults. Leaving. Karas smiled and darted after the man - at least he wasn't bored anymore. Surely his mom wouldn't fuss if he went out with one of his 'uncles', right? Right.

--

Hyuuga Hiashi pressed his lips lightly together, trying not to frown. Something… wasn't right. And not just the fact that the beautiful summer day didn't suit the event at hand. No, it was something else. But before he could pursue the errant thought, a flicker of color demanded his attention. A very young boy pushed through the gathered mourners, his khaki shorts and green shirt standing out almost obscenely amongst the somber black worn by the clan.

The child crept close to the altar, stretching up on his tiptoes in order to see the picture set before the tall black monument. Hiashi moved quietly, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder just as he reached out to touch the picture. The man let his eyes move off of the child and settle on the memorial, acknowledging the loss of a capable shinobi. He spoke softly to the boy, his voice low. "You shouldn't be here, boy. It's disrespectful. Now go on home, and don't invite yourself to any more funerals." He more felt the boy's nod than saw it, as he was still not looking at the child's face. The boy needed to leave, but Hiashi could not be angry with him. After all, the child was likely too young to understand the seriousness of the situation.

As the boy turned away, Hiashi returned his thoughts to the feeling of a moment before. _'Why'_ he thought uneasily. _'Why do I feel like there is something that I have forgotten – something important?' _

--

Karas returned home, finally losing the embarrassed flush from the tall ninja's words. He still didn't understand what he had done wrong, but he knew he had done something he shouldn't. Closing the door behind him, the boy couldn't help but wonder one more thing. _'Why were they putting flowers in front of Mommy's picture?'_

**-Kyo-**

A loud noise echoed throughout the small house, startling the brunette toddler curled up in his bed. The boy raised a tear streaked face out of his pillow, sniffling as he pushed himself up onto his feet. Nara Kyoshiro made his way to the living room on the unsteady feet of a three year old, calling out in a small voice as he reached his goal. "Papa?" The boy shivered lightly. Even more than the autumn night's chill that seemed to have settled into the house, there was a strange feeling in the air. "Papa, heard a noise. Momma back now?" Kyo wrinkled his nose as a sharp, strong smell hit him from inside the room, but he forgot it as his father walked over to stand in front of him.

Kaene stared down at the little boy, who turned innocent eyes up to his father. "Is momma home?" the man echoed, an unusual slur to his words. The child just looked up at him, hope showing through little eyes. Kaene felt his heart skip a beat. Grey eyes. He had never noticed, before her death, that their son had grey eyes. Just like hers. Anger abruptly bloomed in his chest at those familiar eyes staring at him out of a face that was not hers. The child spoke again. "Pa-" _**smack!**_ The boy crashed to the floor, those damn grey eyes going wide with pain and shock and confusion. Tears filled those eyes, but Kaene could not find it in his heart to care. "Shut up!" he hissed. "No, momma's not coming home, remember? She can't, not ever again." He stormed off to his room, not even hearing the sobs of the frightened child he left lying on the floor.

--

The door slammed. Kyo looked up, grey eyes going wide, and held his breath. The door slammed once more. Two times. Kyo released his breath in a sigh of relief. Two times. Papa came home, but he left again. The boy put his head back down to rest again on his arms, but winced as he put too much weight on one of the bruises. Papa was so mad, all the time. His eyes filled up with tears, sobs breaking out yet again. It seemed all he did was cry, now. Kyo cried so hard, he missed the sound of the door opening and closing more quietly. Only one time. His first – and only – warning was a now-familiar scent of sake before a large hand roughly grabbed his collar. "Papa, no!" the boy screamed as he was flung across the room. He slammed against the wall, driving the breath out of him and sending pain shooting all through his little body. "SHUT UP!" Kaene shouted right back. Kyo jammed a fist into his mouth, desperately trying to stifle the cries. Crying only made papa madder.

The man shook his head in disgust and retrieved his pack. On his way out he paused in the door. As the cold winter air stole the warmth from the house, he glanced over at his son. "I've got a mission. You better behave while I'm gone." Then the door opened and closed again, leaving the house silent except for the sound of muffled sobs.

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Read and review, please.


	3. 8 Years Ago

A/N: The adults in this story might be a little OOC, I'm not sure. I've only seen the anime, and the parent's aren't shown very often. If I have messed them up, please tell me.

Rating: Teen. Warnings: Cursing, abuse, mild angst and a focus on OC's. Disclaimer: The Naruto cast is glad I don't own them.

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**8 Years Ago**

**-Karas-**

He slipped down the hall on nearly silent feet. He felt dizzy, and his stomach hurt, but he knew better than to make a sound. The six year old kept a tight grip on the object in his hands, tucking it between his arm and his body as he struggled to open the sliding door quietly. Karas peered into the large room, his eyes nervously searching every darkened corner. No figure sat on the benches or tables lined throughout the room, no form leaned against the walls. _'No one here'_ he thought. _'That's good, maybe I won't get sent back to bed tonight.'_ There had been too many times that an adult had caught him out in the halls late at night, and sent him back with a scolding for being out past his bedtime. As he slipped into the room and slid the door closed again, his stomach growled loudly, causing the boy to freeze in place and hold his breath. A moment passed, two, and still no one came. Karas sighed lightly. He moved quickly to the fire in the front of the room, pausing only long enough to adjust the item he held so dearly.

Karas leaned over, breathing in the scent of the large stewpot left on the fire for any clan ninja returning from late night missions. He quickly filled his bowl, dropping down to sit on the floor rather than wasting time moving to a table. He kept his ears open, and silently wished he were able to use the Byakugon as he watched closely for any hint of noise or movement. He ate quickly, but made sure to take small bites. The last time he had gulped down the thick stew, he had been sick for the rest of the night. He couldn't afford that this time.

Finished with his bowl, he scooped another serving before leaving the room as quietly as he had entered. _'I know that soup's supposed to be for the ninjas, but… I don't have anything in the suite that I can cook, and no one will listen when I say I need to go shopping. I can't go by myself; I don't have any money 'cause I don't know where mom kept it. At least I got supper tonight, and this'll make a good lunch tomorrow.'_ Karas tucked his bowl in close to his body again as he crept back towards his own suite. He treated it as if it were precious to him.

After all, it had been the first time in two days he had been able to eat, and he might not get a chance for another two days.

**-Midori-**

The little boy stared at the floor, trying unsuccessfully to close his ears to the words flowing over his light brunette head. "I don't understand" a tall man stated, mild confusion echoing in his voice. "As much as he's been shifted between foster homes… How much trouble could one five year old possibly be?" The Chuunin behind the boy hesitated slightly before answering. "Well, I wouldn't say he's trouble, exactly. Midori's a smart child. Quiet, well mannered; he loves to read. In fact, he'll spend all day curled up with a book if you let him. He's just… everyone says he's just weird. He makes them uncomfortable, so they pass him on to someone else. You won't have to deal with him for long, in another year he'll be old enough to be put in an apartment of his own – then you'll just have to make sure groceries get delivered and check on him from time to time."

Midori squeezed his eyes closed, trying not to let them tear up. He knew why grown ups didn't like him. Why no one liked him. _'It's my eyes'_ he thought hopelessly. _"That light purple color; it's not right. It's creepy, I'm creepy. But I don't mean to be.'_ A large hand settling on his shoulder brought his attention back to the matter at hand, and he bowed politely to his new guardian. The man was the eleventh one in four years. When he was shown to his room, he again thanked the man, his manners flawless. He listened carefully as the rules of the house were explained to him, and was told to settle himself in until dinner was ready.

Closing the door behind his guardian, Midori promptly reached into the smaller of his two bags and pulled out a book. The boy curled up on the too-big bed, and lost himself in a world where even people with strange colored eyes could make friends and be loved.

**-Reiji-**

The little boy glanced up, warily watching the woman coming into the room. Hikari smiled, dropping to one knee and holding her arms open. "Hey, baby. I'm home." A bright smile blossomed on the five year old's pale face, then he was up and running to be folded in his mother's arms. Hikari's smile softened, and she rested her cheek on her son's unruly black hair. "Did you miss me, Ji-chan?" The little head nodded violently, then the boy leaned back. Green eyes sparkled as he craned his head back to look up at her. "Made you a picture." Hikari laughed. "Did you? Thank you. I -" The woman's words stopped short, her eyes going slightly unfocussed. Murakami Reiji tensed, his own eyes widening for a heartbeat before he bolted.

The boy quickly hid in the closet, burrowing all the way into the far back corner. Another heartbeat later, and a shriek erupted from the room. "DAMN IT!" Hikari screamed. Reiji wrapped his arms around his chest as he heard the crash of objects being thrown across the room. Less than five minutes later, he heard his mother's voice call out, panic lacing her tone. "Reiji? Ji-chan, are you here?" The boy hesitantly opened the door, stepping out into the room. Hikari's face lit up as she rushed over to hold her little boy. "Ji-chan, are you okay, baby? What happened, sweetie?" she murmured, frantically running her hands over her baby.

Reiji just shook his head. She wouldn't believe him if he told her. Momma never remembered her fits. Not even when she hit him.

**  
-Karas-**

Karas bounced in place, hurriedly straightening out his clothes, making sure everything was perfect. Then he rushed out the door and into the courtyard. This was it. Karas knew that all the other kids were scared, that their parents hated to send them today. But he wasn't scared. His mom had told him once that the sealing did hurt just a little, but he didn't care. After today, they would finally stop ignoring him. He would truly be a part of the clan, even if it was as a servant to the Main Branch. It was a very important day.

_'I'm late.' _he thought. _'But that's okay, right? At least I'm coming. After all, if I hadn't heard one of the other kids talking about it, I wouldn't have known it was being done today. Nobody told me. They can't blame me for changing into good clothes for such a big day, can they?'_ He finally arrived, breathless, at the gates to the small shrine that the ceremony would be held in. The quickly closing gates. "Wait!" he called. "I'm here. I know I'm late, but -" "Go home boy." The man at the other side of the gate told him. The man was watching the shrine, chewing nervously on his lower lip, and didn't even look at Karas. "But…but" the boy stuttered. "But I'm supposed to be in there." The man just snorted. "No, kid. Only members of the Hyuuga clan are allowed in there right now. You can visit your little friends later. Right now just go home."

The man walked away, not even glancing back at the boy behind him. Karas just stood in shock, devastation ripping into him. _'Only…members of the clan? Does that mean…I'm not a part of the clan? Am I not good enough? Am I so bad, I can't even serve?'_ The boy's mind shut down temporarily, and when his senses returned he found himself running. Branches of corridors flashed by, and his lungs burned with sobs and exertion. Tears streamed down his face as the ninja's harsh words echoed in his ears.

Karas slammed open the door to his suite and flung himself onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow as he cried. Finally his tears slowed and stopped. He shook his head, roughly wiping away the tears from his face. The pain was still there, but a new determination was building inside of him. _'If I'm not good enough, then I guess – no, I know – I'll just have to __**get**__ good enough.'_

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A/N: Read and review, please.


	4. 7 Years Ago

A/N: I have no idea what they do with orphans in Konoha, but since Naruto had an apartment and money despite having no job, I'm just going to say that kids get an apartment and a stipend to live on. If anyone knows better, please let me know. Also, I'm not sure about the names of Shikamaru and Shino's (next chapter) fathers. I read somewhere that it was Shikaku and Shibi, but I don't know for sure. Again, if I'm wrong let me know.

Rating: Teen. Warnings: language, violence, mild angst and a focus on OC's. Disclaimer: The Naruto group is very glad I don't own them.

Lastly, a big thank you goes out (again) to **vampireninja09**, the one person - and I do mean _one_ - who liked this story enough to tell me so. It was major motivation.

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7 Years Ago

**-Neji-**

_Step-strike-slideback-strike-spin-strike…Pause_. Harsh breathing rang in the small courtyard. Neji stopped, one hand still held out in the open-handed strike required to continue the kata. Solid, pale blue eyes narrowed as the twelve-year-old quickly reviewed the last few moments in his mind. Chakra. He had felt a small brush of chakra. He huffed slightly in irritation; he had chosen this particular courtyard for his training precisely because no one ever came here. He let his senses flare out, searching for the intruder. It didn't take him long to locate the bright spark of energy. _'Hmm, very bright. But very small, even a little unsteady. A child, then.'_ He tilted his chin slightly down as he worked out his thoughts. _'Not Hinata-sama, she's off on some school trip. Not Hanabi-sama either - she's in town with her father, and there would have been more fuss if __**he'd**__ returned. So, Branch family. Come to watch the genius work, huh?'_ An arrogant smirk crossed his face as he continued the fluid movements of his kata. _'Well, he __**did**__ do well to find me all the way out here, so… let the kid watch. Maybe he'll turn out to be a credit to the Branch family.'_ Neji firmly put the watcher out of his thoughts, concentrating only on the flowing attacks and blocks of the Hyuuga family's Gentle Fists style. Although, if his elders has been watching, they might have noticed the young genius slow his pace during some of the more complex maneuvers.

**  
-Midori-**

Wide purple eyes flicked up to stare for a heartbeat, and just as quickly returned to stare at the ground. Midori swallowed past the lump in his throat, fighting not to fidget in front of his most recent guardian. The woman gave him a small smile, and then she put a light hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Midori-kun. Let's get you settled in, shall we?" The hand slipped off, and the woman walked to the door of the apartment complex. The six-year-old watched her for a moment, his eyes drawn to the shine that the sun laid over her long black hair. When she turned back towards him with a frown forming on her face, he hurriedly shook himself out of his strangely muted state of mind. He followed her up the stairs and up to the third floor. Taking a key out of her handbag, the woman opened the door and waved him inside. Midori followed without a word.

"Go ahead." the woman told him. "Look around, tell me what you think." Midori nodded once. His thoughts were still muted, nothing able to penetrate the dull feeling in his body. He walked the boundaries of the small apartment, running his fingers lightly over the furniture. The door opened into the living room, so he inspected it first. A sectional sofa - old but looking surprisingly comfortable – took up the largest part of the floor. A side table beside it, with a lamp on top. Against the far wall was another stand, this time with a small tv.

The kitchen next, so he turned right. The stove was the biggest thing in the room. A sink set into the counter, dorm-type fridge and microwave on top. One chair – only one – was pulled up to the table under the one window. Nothing else. Back through the living room, and through a curtain across from the door brought him into the bedroom. One twin bed - entirely too big for such a small boy – with a lamp on the nightstand. A dresser against the wall, next to the entrance to the small bathroom.

Midori returned to the living room, only to find the woman watching him closely. He forced a small smile as she handed him the key. "Thank you very much, Yukari-san. I am sure that this will work very well." The woman smiled, looking away from his face as she studied the apartment again. "Well, it isn't hard to find single-person apartments around here. It's a nice neighborhood, and close to the elementary school, so most of the people here are young families." She glanced back at him and smiled. "Just think, you start school next spring. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends – you'll have to get some more chairs. Speaking of getting things, there are dishes in the cupboards and silverware in the drawers in the kitchen. There are towels in the bathroom closet, and your clothes and other things will be delivered by sunset. You know that you'll get a stipend once a month; I'd suggest getting groceries first, and then any leftover money can be used for anything else. The first three or four months, the store will help you figure out what to buy, but pay attention because they can't hold your hand for long. When school starts, you'll get a voucher. Just give it to the bookstore and they'll give you your books and any other supplies on the list your teacher will give you."

Midori just nodded again, and the two shared a brief handshake as they said their goodbyes. A handshake, not a hug. Never a hug. The little boy watched quietly from the window of his bedroom as the woman crossed the street. As soon as she was out of sight, he sank to the floor and let out the tears that had been building up inside.

**-Shikamaru-**

The boy leaned against the wall, hands linked behind his head as his face tilted up towards the sun. He vaguely paid attention to his father talking to a cousin across the street. Vaguely watching the pair, Shikamaru allowed his thoughts to drift along with the clouds he loved so much. The sun was warm, the light breeze enough to cool without pulling strands of his dark hair out of its ponytail. The day was perfect; at least until small noises in a small alley caught his attention. _'Hmm, should I…?'_ The twelve-year-old turned it over slowly, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. _'Guess I have to. Man, this is so troublesome.'_ He sighed, pushing off the wall as he straightened up. Catching his father's eye, he jerked his head a little towards the alley, letting the man know where he would be.

Working his way into the little alley, he looked around slowly for the source of the small noises. His eyes caught on a small form curled up against a doorway, sniffles and hiccups occasionally breaking the silence. He approached slowly, kneeling a few steps away from the child. "Hey," he called, making sure to keep his voice soft and low. "Hey, you okay? What's wrong?" Hearing footsteps behind him, he made a slight gesture to call his father over. The little boy raised his head, and Shikamaru's eyes widened. Bruises covered nearly half of the child's face, making his grey eyes look huge against his pale skin. Shikamaru heard his father draw in a quick breath, and then Shikaku knelt beside him.

Shikamaru scooted back a little farther, deciding to let his father handle the situation. "Hey, kid. What's your name?" The boy hesitated, wiping one hand roughly across his face. The child worried his bottom lip with his teeth, glancing back and forth between the two in front of him. Finally the boy spoke. "Kyo… Nara Kyoshiro. Kaene's son." Shikaku _hmm_'d slightly. The little boy – no, Kyoshiro – watched them again. Shikaku kept his voice gentle as he quietly asked the boy how he had gotten so many bruises. The child twisted his fingers into the cloth of his pants for a long moment before taking a deep breath and speaking again. "My dad… he… _hehitme_." "Whoa, there, son. Slow down. What happened?" The boy swallowed quickly, his eyes shifting anxiously, looking at everything except them. "Dad…hit me - it's nothing. It's my fault, I messed up." The child immediately bit down on his lip, fisting his hands in his lap and refusing to look at them.

Shikamaru could see his father weighing the boy's words in his mind, and so wasn't surprised when the man spoke. "You may have messed up, Kyoshiro-chan, but he shouldn't have hit you like that. I'm going to fix that, okay?" The little boy's eyes widened, darting up to finally look the older pair in their faces. "You are? Really?" The two ninjas both nodded, their expressions serious. The child gave a tentative smile. "Thanks. Really, thanks. I have to get home, but… thanks." The child pushed off the ground, gave them one quick smile, and then he was gone.

**  
-Kyo-**

Kyo couldn't stop smiling. Even though it made his jaw hurt, he just couldn't. _'They're gonna stop it.'_ the boy thought. He curled his arms around his legs and buried his face in his knees, trying to stop the giggle fighting its way out of his chest. _'Those ninja guys, they're really gonna make him stop. No more scared, no more hurting._ The giggles burst free. It made his bruised ribs ache, but he couldn't stop it. He heard the front door open and close, and his giggles finally stopped.

Footsteps echoed in the hall, deliberate and even. Kyo looked up, and felt his heart freeze in his chest when his father stepped into his room._ 'He… he looks so mad… __**They said they were gonna stop him!**__'_ Kaene walked towards his son, and the slow, even words that came out of his mouth made Kyo's stomach twist into knots. "Do you know what Shikaku said to me today, boy?" Kaene's voice was low, and today he wasn't slurring his words or squinting his eyes. Kyo finally felt his heart restart, and it felt like it would burst from the speed and force it now beat with. Still his father came, still speaking in with a terrible, cold fury that closed Kyo's throat so that he couldn't draw enough air. "He told me that it was good that I wanted you to have a head start for the Academy, that it was good that I was giving you the chance to spar." - his father was right in front of him now, but he couldn't move, couldn't think. Still the man kept speaking - "But he said that I needed to tone it down, that I wasn't pulling enough of my power when I hit you. Now, you little shit," - his father picked him up by his shirt, his feet were dangling in the air – "**how did he know I hit you?!"** – that voice still low, still vicious, but more intense. A quick, violent motion, and Kyo felt the back of his head slam against the wall. The mind finally kicking in, panic shooting through him, stronger even than the pain – "You told him! You little shit; you tried to get me arrested!" – mouth open to scream, but it never got out. A rush of air, falling, sudden impact with the floor. All Kyo could do was curl up and try to cover his head as his father methodically rained hell down on him.

**  
-Karas-**

Karas once more stood in front of his mirror, this time having the leisure to study his reflection. The eyes that looked back at him seemed far too serious for a seven-year old, but he had become so used to them that he didn't event notice. _'Bath done, behind the ears washed. Hair brushed neatly, clothes not too wrinkled – they shouldn't be, I laid them on the table and stacked books on top of them. Headband over my forehead – all the Branch kids wear them, so I should too. A little skinny, but not too bad – I've gotten good at sneaking stew at night. Okay, I__** look**__ ready. I've studied up on math, I read pretty good, I write okay – sort of. I've watched the older kids – especially Neji-san – so I know a little of the Gentle Fist style, and a couple of hand seals.'_ He took a deep breath and ran his hands one more time over his hair._ 'Okay, I __**am**__ ready. I'll go to the Academy, and I'll work really hard and be good in class. I'll be polite to the teachers, and help anybody I can with homework or whatever. I'll be the best student in class – no, the best student __**ever**__ – and then… And then they'll stop ignoring me. They'll let me in; let me be part of the family again. I just have to show them that I deserve it now.'_ A sharp nod, a quick turn on one heel, and Karas left the Hyuuga sector with his head held high.

Twenty minutes later, he stopped just around the corner before the school and carefully straightened his clothes. Steeling himself, he turned the final corner and walked towards the entrance of the famous Konoha Shinobi Academy. There by the door, a kind-faced man with dark brown hair and a long scar across his nose was talking with a nervous – or maybe just shy – little girl and a woman who was obviously the girl's mother. With a soft smile and a nod, the man reached over and wrote something on a clipboard hanging on the wall, then waved the pair on in. Karas took one last, deep breath, and stepped up to the man.

The man squatted so that he was on eye level, and reached out for a handshake. "Hello, I'm Iruka-sensei. I'm taking attendance on everyone who's signed up for classes this year." The man tilted his chin down just a touch. "You know, you have to have a relative with you for today. What's you name?" Karas felt himself relax a little. He _liked_ this Iruka-sensei. "Karas, sensei. Hyuuga Karas. And I think some of my relatives are already here." The man smiled at him, and ran his finger down what Karas could now see were columns of names on the board. "Yes, I did send in a couple of Hyuugas a few minutes ago. So just give me a second…"

After a moment, the man frowned lightly and flipped back through the pages again. Karas felt something inside of him grow cold. He finally spoke hesitantly, all of his earlier confidence gone. "…Iruka-sensei…is something wrong?" The man looked up and tried to smile at him again, but it didn't reach his eyes this time. "Karas-kun, your name isn't on this list…" Iruka's expression softened at the obvious distress on the boy's face. "Tell you what, Karas-kun. It's possible that someone made a mistake and skipped writing your name down. If you'll wait here for just a minute, I'll go and ask if one of your relatives will come and fix it, okay?" Karas _felt_ his face light up, and he nodded eagerly. Iruka chuckled, and then ruffled the boy's hair. The teacher ducked inside, catching another ninja to come stand at the door for a minute.

As he waited, Karas could feel his doubts creeping in again. _'It's just a mistake… it has to be a mistake. They have to let me prove I'm good enough… don't they?'_ Karas was feeling more than a little anxious by the time Iruka returned, and the small frown on the man's face made him feel positively sick. With a nod to relieve the other shinobi, Iruka once again squatted in front of the boy. All of a sudden, he didn't want to know what the man had to say. But he found out anyway. "Karas-kun, I spoke with Hiashi-sama himself, and he said that there are no more members of the Hyuuga clan entering the Academy this year." Karas's face fell, and for the first time in months, he found himself fighting back tears.

Iruka immediately put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's not so bad. Listen, physically speaking, you're a little bit small. Some of the things we do here are hard work for your body. They probably just want to give you some time to get a little bigger. I'm sure that you'll be put in next year's class, okay?" The teacher looked so upset that Karas tried to smile, just to make the man feel better. "Yeah," he muttered, even though he suddenly didn't believe it. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right. Well, I'll just work hard and be ready next time, huh?" Karas walked away, keeping his weak smile on until he turned the corner. And then he ran all the way back to his room, silent tears running down his face.

**  
-Midori-**

Midori ran the cloth over the counter one more time, looking critically at the smooth surface. In truth, it was already clean, and had been for the last five minutes. He was just putting off the inevitable. He needed food, and that meant going to the grocery store. And _that_ meant getting pitying looks from adults, and being teased on the way home by the kids. _'What's wrong, crybaby?'_ Midori flinched as the other children's voices echoed in his mind. _'Mama says he's a weird-ling… That's bad, right? Yeah, we don't want to play with weird-lings…He's creepy, brother. Make him go away…You heard us, freak. Go away, go on home…Go hide back in your hole…Put your face back in your books, don't make us look at it…'_ Midori stomped one foot, mentally shaking himself out of his somber mood. "Just a quick run to the store, that's all. I'll be done before they're out of school." Decision made, he gathered up his money and headed out the door. He never made it to the store.

_ CRASH!_ Midori jumped, heart leaping to his throat as he spun towards the side street the noise had come from. He nearly ran the two blocks back to his apartment, but his own curiosity stopped him. He inched his way into the narrow street, looking all around. "Hello…" he called nervously. "Is anyone –" Midori gasped, cutting off his own words as he saw the source of the noise. A boy, no older than him, was sprawled on the ground as if he had fallen. In fact, considering that the boy was laying amongst overturned tin trashcans, Midori was fairly sure that he _had_ fallen. And he was covered in small cuts and large bruises. Midori couldn't see a single inch of skin that wasn't some shade of red, blue, black, purple or yellow. The other boy groaned and started to struggle to his knees, prompting Midori to come out of his daze and rush to the other's side. "Oh… Are you okay?" Midori shook his head. "No, of course you aren't okay. Did you get in a fight? Where are your parents?" Midori had been reaching out to give the other a helping hand, but he froze when the boy jerked away at his last words and glared at him.

After a moment of hesitation, Midori spoke again. "Alright, no parents. But, you need to put some bandages on those cuts." He hesitated again, fidgeting before his kindness won out over his nerves. "You, um… you could come to my house. I have some bandages and things. I have no parents, so…" The other boy stared at him for what felt like forever, but then the boy nodded. Midori helped the boy to his feet, keeping a hand under his elbow as he led the way to the apartment. The boy had to lean against the hallway as Midori unlocked the apartment door, and the brunette spoke again. "So, um… my name is Midori. If I may ask, what is your name?" When the lock clicked open, he turned to face the other boy, only to find cool grey eyes watching him suspiciously. After a time, the other suddenly nodded once, as if satisfied with whatever he saw. Then he spoke, his voice a little harsh from the bruises around his throat. "Kyo."

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A/N: So the kiddies start meeting. Yeah, we're actually starting to get into plot now.


	5. 6 Years Ago

A/N: Again, not sure on the name of Shino's dad. Also, Shino himself is probably OOC. I just can't write the guy as emotionless in the situation I'm putting him in. Don't worry, though. He'll go back to being outwardly bland next time he's in the story.

Rating/Warnings/Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

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**6 Years Ago**

**-Shiroji-**

The door opened, catching the attention of the small blond child sprawled out on the rug. The five year old launched up off the floor and around the corner, then hurled himself towards the door. "Catch!" he screamed, laughing all the while. And he was caught. Thin lips twitched and dark eyes sparkled briefly behind round sunglasses before a low voice gently scolded. "Now, Shiroji-chan, what if I hadn't caught you? You'd have hit the door and hurt your face." The boy grinned up at his savior, utterly unrepentant. "But you catch me, Nii-san. Always." The child giggled, amber eyes twinkling with good natured mischief. The other's lips finally broke into a smile – a small one, barely worthy of the name, but a smile nonetheless. Aburame Shino chuckled briefly as the thirteen year old set his brother back on the ground.

The laughter died as a tall ninja in a long coat walked into the hall. "Otou-san" "Tou-san" the boys spoke as one. The man nodded to his sons. Shibi then spoke to the elder of the pair. "Your mission went well?" Shino nodded. "Good. Your brother's initiation is in six hours." Shino nodded again. Initiation. The day when an Aburame child was introduced to the Kikai insects that would inhabit his body for the remainder of his days. The day when a child was considered to be truly a part of the clan. It was an important time for his sunny little brother, and he had worked hard to complete his mission in time to attend the ceremony. While his father had been called the 'pride of the Aburame', and Shino himself was occasionally referred to as their hope, no one would deny that Shiroji was their heart.

His little brother – well, half-brother technically – was the complete opposite of the majority of their clan. Light haired and eyed where the others were dark, bright and energetic where the clan was solemn and silent, the child was one of the few things that could bring a smile to the normally impassive faces of his relatives. However, Shino was not allowed to contemplate the matter for long. His thoughts were rudely interrupted as a small hand snatched his larger one, and a small body pressed against his legs. "Nii-san, spider!" Shino glanced back, and then bent to allow the arachnid to crawl onto his hand. Straightening upright, Shino spoke again with their father, but Shiroji was not paying attention to his words. Neither ninja noticed the little blond cringe away from the spider crawling over his brother's fingers.

**-Arashi-**

Light, swift footsteps rang out in the cool, still morning. Quick but even breathing huffed out, forming a fine mist in front of the boy's face as he ran. The six-year-old was utterly focused on his task, eyes locked on his goal. Those deep blue eyes narrowed, his speed increased, and he – tripped. CRASH! His breath caught, tears welling up in his eyes, but the boy shook his head sharply as he got to his knees. Wiping his arm quickly across his eyes, he pushed himself to his feet. Hamada Arashi stood for a moment on unsteady legs, waiting impatiently for the trembling in his now-scraped knees to stop. Once it did, he took off again – a little more slowly.

Finally reaching his goal, he paused again, trying to brush off the dust from his fall as he waited with even less patience for his breathing to slow. _'Can't go in there like this, she'll worry.'_ Taking one last deep breath, Arashi pushed open the door and stepped into the house. "Mama, I'm home" he called; quietly, just in case she was sleeping. But she wasn't. Blue eyes, just a shade lighter than his own, opened slowly. Those eyes were drawn immediately to the fire red of her son's hair. Aira smiled at the boy. "Welcome back." Then her eyes narrowed a little, and Arashi tried unsuccessfully to hide his flinch. "Ash-chan, what happened? Your clothes are dirty, and -" her eyes widened. "You're bleeding. Sweetie, come here. Are you okay?" Aira pushed back the blanket and sat up in bed, beckoning her son to come closer. Arashi felt his face heat up as he moved slowly closer to his mother. "It's nothing, mom. I just fell, that's all. Honest."

The boy fought back tears again as he saw his mother's eyes darken with sadness and even a little pain. He _hated_ seeing her sad. He was _supposed_ to be helping her, not making her upset! And speaking of not upsetting her – Ash reached down inside of himself and dragged up a bright smile. "Really, mom, it's fine. And -" he reached into the small ninja-type pouch at his waist "I got your medicine. The medic said you gotta take it -" "Twice a day with meals." Ash's smile faltered just a little as his mom interrupted him. "I know, sweetheart." She did know. She had been taking the medicine for over a year now, and she knew the dose – and the side effects.

And he hated it. He _hated_ the disease that made his strong, energetic mother so tired and pale all the time. Hated watching her hands shake – like they did now – from even the small effort of something like tending his little scrapes. He hated that the medics said that there was nothing that they could do, that they couldn't find what was wrong with her. He hated the medicine that made her feel sick, so whatever she ate almost always came back up later. And she didn't eat enough anyway. Arashi was born in Konoha, so he got a stipend to eat off of when his mom got too sick to keep her job, but she wasn't, so she didn't. Trying to feed them both off of a meal plan meant for one was hard, and by the end of the month they were usually out of food a day or two before the next voucher came in. The boy bit back a sigh and smiled again at his mother, wanting so badly to make her feel better. Then he curled up at her side, chatting together until one of them got hungry enough to bother with breakfast.

**Shino**

His teammates would have believed the end of the world was near if they could see him right now. He had to deliberately hold himself very still so that he would not twitch. His insects were responding to his emotions, and were crawling more actively than usual. He was accustomed to the feeling, but it still tickled slightly. Even more shocking, he was smiling. It was an actual smile, bigger and brighter than he had worn since his earliest childhood. It looked strangely out of place on his normally blank face, but he could not wipe it off. Aburame Shino was very excited. His little brother was finally being initiated. Shino would finally be able to share so many things with the boy. He could bring him into the hives kept within the heart of the Aburame sector, because once Shiroji had his own Kikai insects the deadly inhabitants of the hive would accept his presence without hesitation. He was old enough and experienced enough to help the younger boy learn to communicate and work with his insects, so that when he entered the Academy next year he would add to the clan's reputation.

His attention was drawn by the opening of a door. The eyes of every human in the room turned towards that door as Shibi led his youngest child in. Shino's smile widened ever so slightly. In shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, with small sunglasses to avoid accidental damage to his eyes, the little boy was… cute. If Kiba knew that that particular word had _ever_ crossed Shino's mind, the wild boy would have had a heart attack on the spot, but it was true. The child was lengthening his steps, even as his father shortened his own. Led to stand before a small alter, a nod from his father had the boy climbing up to sit on top of it.

With another nod from the older man, Shino stepped up, trying – vainly – to smother his smile for such an important event. The ceremony called for the child's first insects to be given from his immediate family, if possible. After all, those were the insects which were most accustomed to the child's presence, and therefore would adapt most quickly to a new host. Once those first insects were well settled, others would be brought in from the main hive – but for now, Shino had the privilege of giving a small part of himself to help his little brother. He laid one hand on his brother's shoulder, knowing that his father was doing the same, and sent a silent command to his insects. Shiroji's eyes widened and his body tensed as the insects swarmed out from his relative's sleeves. Shino's smile faded, replaced by a more common frown. _'What the hell…?'_ And then the insects crawled onto the boy's skin.

The child screamed, and flung himself back away from them. Shino's mind froze for a split second. _'What the HELL?!'_ His father's voice sharply calling his name snapped him out of his shock. Shiroji was still screaming, and Shino hurridly called his insects back. They didn't want to come! Shino realized with horror that the little boy's sudden movement and loud noise had agitated the already unsettled insects. They considered his brother an enemy! _'Oh, shit! Those are POISONOUS!' _He commanded his insects' return, and unconsciously held his breath as his father knelt beside the child curled up on the ground. "Damn it!" the man bit out. "He's been bitten." The elder's voice sharpened urgently. "Shino, antivenom!" Shino was running before the words completely left his father's mouth. They didn't _keep_ antivenom at the shrine! They had never needed to. This had _NEVER HAPPENED_ before, in the entire history of the clan! No one had ever thought that it _COULD_ happen!

His insects were agitated, crawling and buzzing restlessly. They sought information from their host, but for the first time in his life, Shino ignored them. The only thing that would register in his mind was the fact that _his insects_ had just poisoned his baby brother.

**-Reiji-  
**

The little boy stood quietly, fighting the yawn that wanted to sneak up on him. The warmth of the day paired with the long walk made him tired, but he knew his mom would be disappointed if he fell asleep. He was supposed to be visiting his dad. He had never met the man, but his mom brought him here every year to lay flowers before the memorial stone. At her gesture, he walked up to the black stone. As she did every year, Hikari made him stand with his back against the stone, and she marked off his height with her hand.

He stepped back as she spoke, smiling through the tears gathering in her eyes. "You see, sweetheart? Our baby's gotten so big. I wish you could see him, he reminds me so much of you. And he's such a big help to me – you'd be proud." Reiji laid his small bunch of flowers before the stone, and sat down as his mom stepped back to give him room. "Hello, Otousan. Mom prob'ly told you, and she's upset – said she'd been weak or something - but I'm excited. I'm gonna have a baby brother or sister…"

**-Arashi-**

Arashi burst through the door, a bright smile lighting his face. "Mom!" he called, his eyes sparkling as he shifted his grip on his prize. _'Watermelon'_ he thought. _'Mom loves watermelon, and we hardly ever get it. It's a small one, but… I think that lady dropped the price so I could buy it. She was so nice, and now I get to bring mom a treat!'_ "Mom!" he called again, swinging around the corner into her room. His steps slowed, and a frown lightly crossed his features. His mom should have answered by now. He approached the bed, reaching out with one hand to gently shake her shoulder. "Mom?" She didn't answer – she didn't even twitch. Arashi dropped his prize and reached out with both small hands. "Mom, mom wake up. Mom, what's wrong? Momma?!" He climbed up on the bed to look closely at her. His chest felt too tight, he couldn't catch his breath. Her skin was cool, and she was shivering.

Arashi bolted out the door, his eyes frantically searching the crowded street. His gaze focused on a group of three kids a few years older than himself, and the adult they were following. _'Group of four, headbands…Ninjas!'_ he realized. He darted up, snatching one of the boy's hands and causing all four to turn and look at him. "Please" he gasped out "my mom, something's wrong!" He couldn't see right - his eyes were blurring, filling up with tears – but he thought the adult nodded once before turning to his group. "Souta, go tell the medics I'm bringing in a civilian. Hana, Takamaru go tell the mission desk we'll be late." Turning back to the distraught redhead, the man spoke once more. "Alright, boy. Where is she?"

--

He whimpered miserably. Arashi rocked slightly on the hard bench, pressing his face into his knees and wrapping his arms around his legs. A nurse slowed, setting her hand gently on his red hair before she hurried away. He was scared. They had rushed his mom into one of those rooms so fast… and he was alone. The ninja had handed her to the medic and then literally vanished. Arashi bit his lip and tried to force back his tears as the door finally opened and the medics came out. The boy's heart skipped beats as the posture of the medics sent chills up his spine. The adults looked at each other, and then one of them stepped forward. The man took a deep breath and spoke. "Hamada-kun, I'm sorry…"

******-Shino-**

He felt wrong. Not physically – pain he could have handled without difficulty – but wrong nonetheless. Shiroji would be fine, they had given him the anti-venom in time, but… The Kikai insects would not remain calm around him. Every time Shino walked into his little brother's room, his insects would become agitated and he would have to order them to be still. To not attack the child sleeping so restlessly. And judging by the tension in his father's body when he checked on his youngest son, Shibi was having the same problem. It make no sense, the insects should not be having such a strong reaction to the little boy. His attention shifted to the adults nearby when he saw his father frown deeply and shake his head. _'Now what?'_ he thought.

Shino focused on the low voices. "There is no help for it, Shibi. I know he is your son, but the insects will not accept him." "And not just your own" another said. "Shibi-san, when Tora-san checked on him, her insects became agitated as well." Shino's eyes widened behind his dark glasses. The first man, an elder of the clan, spoke again. "Shibi, I know that this is painful, but you must think of the child. If the Kikai insects are so strongly rejecting him, it is simply not safe for him to remain among us."

Shino felt that wrongness fade into utter cold.

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**A/N: If anybody's reading this, let me know, okay?**


	6. 5 Years Ago

A/N: Okay, so instead of studying - for finals, mind you - I've been working on this. Why, you may ask? Because Veri said she wanted more. Yes, yes. Go ahead and laugh - I know that most reviewers say that. But see, here's the trick: they don't say that to _me_. My proof? Nearly 500 hits on this story, and four reviews. Three of which were from the same person. But that's okay, at least people are reading it, which is more than I really expected when I started it. So, as requested, the next chapter. Enjoy!

Warnings/Disclaimers/Rating: See earlier chapters.

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5 Years Ago

**-Karas-**

'_Crying?_' Karas stopped short, glancing around the darkening alley in confusion. A boarded up door and busted out windows for an empty shop, a few garbage cans, a cat…He didn't see anyone else, but… _'Is that…a baby? Crying? Who would leave a baby here?'_ Setting down the small bag of clothes – bought with money he _earned_, thank you very much – he looked around once more before twisting his hands into shapes he knew as well as his own name.

Abruptly the world shifted, details sharpening and colors fading – except for the bright blue sparkle of chakra. The brightest sparkle was, of course, himself. There were a few pinpoints of light – _'bugs, probably'_ – and one other bright blue beacon. The nine-year-old moved quickly now, striding over to the empty shop and climbing on top of a garbage can to look between two broken boards.

A quick gesture to dispel Byakugon and he leaned in, reaching out a hand to try and comfort the wailing infant. But just before he touched the child, a voice shouted out in anger. "Get away from her!" His eyes widened as he heard a whizzing sound he knew from his training. _'Shuriken?'_

Karas threw himself to the side, barely hearing the _thud_ of an object hitting the wall. He rolled on one shoulder and jumped to his feet, hands fumbling slightly as he reached for his kunai. And then his mind caught up with his body, finally registering what his eyes were seeing. His opponent was a boy about his age, green eyes spitting fire from beneath unruly black hair. Civilian clothes, with a big bruise on his left cheek.

The other circled around until he was standing before the window, bracing defensively in front of it. Pale skin tensed as the boy clenched his jaw, raising a hand to threaten Karas with… _'Is that a garbage lid?'_ Blue eyes flicked briefly to where he had been standing only a moment before. Sure enough, there was a tin garbage can lid lying on the ground. For the first time in too long, Karas wanted to laugh. This furious boy had threatened him…with a garbage lid? Karas looked more closely at the 'weapon' the other held. He couldn't help it, the words slipped out incredulously. "A garbage lid?" The other boy flushed, body tensing even more. "It's what I could reach" he ground out, "but don't think I can't nail you with it if you try to touch my sister again!"

Karas held his hands in front of him, deliberately letting his kunai dangle. "Okay, sorry. I just wanted to help – I thought she was here by herself." The boy's flush changed tone, becoming a little more pink than purple, but his shoulders relaxed a little. "She was" he mumbled. Karas frowned, confusion setting into his expression once more. "Why?" The other boy set his jaw again. "Okay, never mind. You came back; she wasn't alone for long…?" Karas spoke quickly, trailing off at the end to turn the statement into a question. The other shook his head. Now that he was relaxing Karas could see that the other boy was a little younger than he had first thought. Probably seven or eight, he'd guess.

The other watched him for a moment longer, both boys ignoring the screaming from the baby, until the other seemed to reach a decision. He nodded again, and then set down his 'weapon', turning his back and pulling the baby out of her hiding place. Small shushing noises slipped out as he rocked the tiny girl gently. Karas took a few steps closer, coming to a stop just outside of arms' reach of the pair. He peered curiously at the bundle in the other's arms. "What's wrong with her? Is she hurt?" He was worried. He had never been around babies before, but he was pretty sure that they weren't supposed to scream like that.

Green eyes glanced up at him for an instant, and then returned to the baby. "She's hungry. We've been out since last night, and… I had to leave her bottle when we ran this morning." Karas hesitated, trying to weigh the options in his mind, but the baby let out another pitiful cry and he saw her brother's expression twist at the sound.

The younger boy suddenly looked impossibly tired as he gazed down at the little girl. Not tired like Karas was after a hard day's training, but a soul-deep weakness that stopped his breath. Karas wasn't sure why, but he didn't want this boy or his sister to hurt, so he spoke up again. "Babies drink milk, right?" His answer was a distracted nod, the other still trying to shush the baby. "Well, there's milk at my place. She could have some, if you want. I don't really like milk; I just drink it because it's supposed to make you strong." The other boy glanced up, clearly startled. "Won't your parents mind?" The answer came very matter-of-factly. "No, they're dead. There are other people in the complex, but I'm the only one who lives in my family's rooms.

The other boy hesitated for a moment longer, but Karas was glad to see that tired look fading from his eyes as he nodded again. "By the way, my name is Hyuuga, Karas and I'm nine years old." The other shifted his grip, supporting most of the baby's weight on one hip. "Murakami, Reiji. She's Murakami, Kiri. I'm seven and she's five months." Karas nodded, gathered up his bag, and then the two boys with the baby girl walked out together.

**-- -- -- -- --**

**-Imari-**

'_She won't stop crying'_ the woman thought. It had been a long night; her mission had been completed, but it had been much more difficult than it should have been. She was tired, she was sore, her nin-dog was injured and the girl would – not – stop - CRYING. She abruptly turned and stormed into the girl's room. "Ko-_chan_" she bit out. "Stop it. Stop it right_ NOW!_" The little girl stopped for a moment, dark brown eyes wide and shining with her tears. Imari Inuzuka sighed in relief, reaching out and ruffling the light brown curls so similar to her own. She turned to leave the girl's room, but only took two steps before the crying started even louder than before.

Quicker than thought, the jounin spun around, one hand flashing up and snapping towards the child. Two sets of eyes widened, and both females froze in shock. The woman's hand, a mere hair's breadth away from the child's face, began to tremble. The elder was on the other side of the room before the girl could blink._ 'I nearly hit her'_ Imari thought in horror. _'I nearly hit my daughter… She's only __**four**__!'_ She fisted her trembling hands into the fabric of her blood-stained vest, then turned and stumbled blindly from the room. She was so lost in herself, she didn't even notice when the crying began again.

-- -- -- -- -- --

**-Reiji-**

The last of his tension finally drained away as he carefully pulled the cloth away from his sister. It had taken them a while to figure out how to rig a bottle, but finally they discovered that a cloth dipped in the milk would soak up enough for Kiri to drink. As the little girl fussed quietly over the loss, Karas looked over at him with a question in his eyes. Reiji barely glanced at him. "She'll choke if she drinks too fast. Babies can't drink and breathe at the same time." He had to hide a smile when the elder's eyes widened.

Karas leaned over and reached out one hand, glancing at Reiji as if for permission, and then stared in awe when the baby wrapped her hand around one finger. "She's so small" he breathed. "How are you not scared you'll break her?" When no answer came, Karas looked up only to find the younger boy unwilling to meet his eyes. Reiji shifted Kiri up to his shoulder, focusing on patting her back to burp the little girl. "Reiji-kun?" His jaw tightened as he tensed again. "Rei-_kun_, talk to me" Karas insisted.

Reiji abruptly stood and turned to leave, only to find a hand catching his elbow. "Reiji, what's going on?" "Nothing" he bit out, still not looking at the other. "Bull." Startled, he looked back into blue eyes and saw a stubbornness that matched his own, as well as an honest concern. "You're hurt, you said you _had_ to run, and you left your sister alone in an alley when it's pretty plain that you're very protective of her. It's okay, you can tell me. Who am I going to tell, the wall?" The tension once more drained out, but this time it left more of an impression of surrender than ease. "Fine," he muttered.

He closed his eyes, focused on the warmth of the baby in his arms, and sat back down. "Me and Kiri, we're half brother and sister. We share our mom, but my dad's dead, and mom doesn't want to talk about hers. Mom's raising us by herself…" he hesitated, obviously not wanting to say whatever came next. His tone abruptly switched, becoming more desperate in defense of his family. "You've got to understand… my mom, she's great! She makes cookies, and lets me eat one before supper. She takes us swimming or to the park. She tells stories and helps me with my homework and… she's just… she's great. She's the best mom ever. But…" his tone dropped again, the hesitation returning in full force. His gaze strayed to the floor, black bangs hiding his eyes. "But, she… she has these fits. Her eyes go all weird, like she's not really seeing anything, and she goes real still for a second. Then she freaks. She yells, throws things…" "Hits you" Karas guessed.

Reiji nodded reluctantly. "Everything was okay – I knew the signs, and I'd just hide when she did it. It never lasts long, not even five minutes. And she never remembers it. When she snaps out of it and sees things broken and stuff, she's always so scared. She just about panics till I come out and she makes sure I'm safe. I… It was okay…till Kiri was born. It's not her fault, but… she just doesn't get it. She's too little; she doesn't understand that we have to be quiet during mom's fits. The loud noise scares her, and she cries…" "And your mom finds where you're hiding. Is that why you ran?"

Reiji nodded again. "Yeah, pretty much. I was… I've tried to take Kiri and run away. I know mom would be worried, but it would just be till Kiri could understand enough to be quiet. But the stupid shinobi keep finding us and bringing us home. That's why I left Kiri there. I hid her so I could move faster and ditch the shinobi. They just send stupid rookies, it's not like I can fight them. I hate it, but I just… I don't know what else to do. I've tried telling people what's going on, but they just look at mom when she's being herself and say that I'm lying." Karas thought carefully, and then his eyes lit up. "I know!"

He leaned closer to the younger boy, excitement spilling through his voice. "You can stay here. And you don't have to be gone till Kiri's bigger. Your mom's a civilian, right? She can't fight?" Karas barely waited for Reiji's doubtful nod. "Then you can train with me. I've been teaching myself my clan's taijutsu style, it won't be that hard to teach you. Then you can just block your mom, and I'll have a sparring partner! It should only take a couple of days to learn some basic blocks and get good enough at them to avoid a civilian. You'd probably be able to go home by the end of the week!"

Karas waited, breathless, as Reiji thought it over. His bangs hid the slow smile forming on his lips, drawing out the other's anticipation, until he looked up. Green eyes held an eager shine when they met hopeful blue. "You mean it? You'd do that?" Karas broke out in a smile. "Of course. In fact, we can start now! Let's just find a place to put Kiri-chan."

-- -- -- -- --

**-Imari- **

Imari gritted her teeth. The girl was fussing again, clinging to her mother and babbling. Something about a nightmare… _'Damn it, I don't have time for this!'_ "Ko-chan, listen to me. I have to finish this report, and I can't do that with you hanging on me." The woman's voice rose continuously throughout the sentence, ending in a near shout. Which, of course, only upset the little girl even more. _'Crying… she's crying again.' _Imari twitched, and then growled in frustration when she caught herself clenching her fist. She found herself doing that a lot since that night over a month ago when she had nearly hit the child.

_'Putting her in a corner or her room just makes her cry harder. I can't trust myself to spank her… How the hell do I…'_ Her eyes landed on the report she was trying to write. _'I wonder…yes, that'll do just fine. It won't __**hurt**__ her, but should definitely be an effective punishment'_ The jounin turned back to face her daughter. "Mariko, look at me." The child hiccupped, but she looked up as instructed. Imari formed a quick series of hand seals, and the little girl's eyes glazed over. The woman picked the child up and carefully set her on the couch, sighing with relief as she turned back to finish her report.

Two hours and one completed report later, Imari formed a simple seal and reached out to touch her daughter, dispelling the illusion technique. The child's eyes widened, fear and horror reflecting in them as sense returned. Imari waited for a moment, assessing the little girl. Her face was white, her body trembling, but…_'No crying. Excellent. I think I've just found a punishment.'_

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A/N: As always, read and review please. Help me improve.


	7. 4 Years Ago

A/N: Shout out to **Veve**, who reviewed the last chapter. Thank you. And thank those of you who read and don't review. At least it _is_ being read.

Disclaimers/Warnings: Don't own anything you recognize from anywhere besides this story. Language, mild violence, OC's.

Enjoy.

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4 Years Ago

**-Reiji-**

_Upperblock-fallbackfrontkick-outsidecenterblock-twist-strike-downblock-stepback-ridgehand… __**WHAM.**_ Reiji blinked up at the sky, and then scowled in irritation. He reached out for the hand offered to him and allowed a blue-eyed boy to pull him up from the ground.

Karas was obviously trying not to smirk. And failing.

"You do know" Reiji stated calmly "that _that_" a halfhearted glare was directed at those blue eyes "is cheating, right?" Karas just laughed, the smirk changing into a smile. A quick hand seal, then a finger was pointed at him.

"Hey, you should be honored. Every time I use Byakugon against you, that's a compliment to how strong you've gotten. I was able to beat you with one hand this time last year, but now I'm using my bloodline limit." A look dangerously close to a pout was his answer. "It's still cheating."

The eight year old shook his head. "Anyway, I've got to go. It's almost time to pick Kiri up from daycare. She didn't get today off." The two boys exchanged a quick nod and a tired grin. "Okay, see you later, Rei."

--

Reiji slowed from a quick jog to a walk as he approached the brightly colored fence. He waved to one of the women watching over the little ones, but was slightly puzzled by the look of confusion that passed over her face. As he opened the gate, the woman turned to speak to a coworker, and Reiji felt a vague sense of unease curl through him when the other woman glanced up at him and frowned.

"Ayame-sensei," he addressed the first woman "I'm here to pick up Kiri-chan." "Murakami-kun, didn't your mother tell you?" That unease got stronger. "She got off of work early today. She picked up Kiri-chan over an hour ago." Reiji felt as if he'd taken a full kick to his gut, then a numbing cold settled over him. _'No…'_ He was vaguely aware of making his farewells, and not really aware of breaking into a run towards his house.

All he could think of was that, for the very first time, his sister was alone with his mother.

Reiji barely felt his shoulder slam against the door as he wrenched it open. His mind felt as if it was racing, but none of his thoughts seemed to be able to form. He called out, hoping to hear his mother's voice answer. He didn't. _'Where are they?'_

His harsh breathing was drowned out by the pounding of his heart, and his body trembled from the stress of being pushed to move so fast for such a long distance, especially right after he had worked so hard sparring with Karas. But he didn't notice any of that as he raced from room to room, hoping against hope that everything was okay. That nothing had happened to Kiri yet.

He saw a glimpse of dark hair, and nearly skidded into the bathroom. He froze in the door, his mind blanking as his heart and lungs seized up. His mother was sitting on the rim of the bathtub – holding his sister under the water. Before his horrified mind could process what his eyes saw, a wordless shout tore out of his throat. He tackled the woman, scrambling up almost before they hit the ground to stumble over and pull the motionless child out of the water.

The little girl's lips were starting to turn blue. _'Oh, God. Oh my God, ohmyGod. She's not breathing…__** She's not breathing!**__'_ Reiji cradled the tiny girl close, frantically trying to focus his thoughts. He jumped when a hand fell on his shoulder, and he turned panicked eyes up to his now-lucid mother. The woman's face was bone white as she took the little girl from the stricken boy, quickly rushing out the door.

**-Kyo-**

The black haired boy raced down the dark street, eyes frantically looking for somewhere, anywhere, he could hide. Quick, light footsteps echoed close behind him and he knew he was out of time. Darting over to a random door, he pushed against the knob and hissed under his breath when the door knob scratched him. Slipping into the building and closing the door behind him, the boy pressed himself against the wall as if it would let him sink into it and hide. He held his breath, listening for the heavy footsteps of his father. One minute, two… _'Okay'_ he thought. _'I lost him.'_

Stepping away from the wall, Kyo paused to look around the building he had ducked into. Wandering down the long corridor, he cracked open one of the many doors along the hall. His eyes widened. Books. Shelves upon shelves of books. More books than he had seen in one place in his entire life.

Closing the door, he quickly crossed the hall and opened that door. More books. He quickly found that every door he could open contained nothing but shelves of books and a few tables and chairs - presumably to sit and read the books. Sometimes a desk or two. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Kyo gently opened a drawer in one of the desks. _'Pens, ink, all kinds of paper… wow. My clan must be really serious about their books. Hm, come to think of it, Midori likes books. I wonder if they'll notice if I borrow a few…'_

**-Reiji-**

_'I can't do it, can I?'_ he thought, his mind still reeling in shock. _'I thought I could, but I can't. I can't protect them both. I can't be there all the time, not with school. And this… this is worse than yelling. Worse than hitting or throwing things. Mom… she'll kill Kiri, won't she? She really will kill her… Oh, God. Does that mean… __**Do I have to choose one of them…?**__'_ His head snapped up when the light above the treatment room door blinked out and a few minutes later one of the medics stepped into the hall.

His mother jumped out of her seat, holding her hands out entreatingly. "Is she okay?" she practically begged. They both held their breath until the medic nodded. "Yes, we want to keep her here for two or three days just to be safe, but she'll be just fine. She's sleeping now, but you can come see her if you like." The two silently followed the man into a small hospital room, and Reiji finally calmed down some as he saw his sister sleeping peacefully. Although… _'They didn't believe me. Again. I tried to tell them what happened, and all it did was upset mom until they almost sedated her. I was right all along. No one – well, maybe Karas – but no adult is going to help me.'_

Staring down at the frail-looking child nestled in the big bed, he silently chose which of his family he would protect.

**-Shiroji-**

The little blond waited patiently. _Not_. Shiroji was all but bouncing in place, waiting for his father or brother _'or any of the clan'_ to arrive. _'If they don't get here soon, we'll never make it in time. And I really, really want to be a shinobi. If I am… maybe Tou-san and Nii-san will look me in the face again… Gah! Where are they?!'_

A few miles outside of Konoha, the younger of a pair of shinobi paused on a tree branch. The older stopped and turned back to him. "Shino, what is it?" The fifteen year old looked back towards the Leaf Village, troubled despite his bland expression. "I remembered what I was forgetting Otou-san. Today is the Academy Entrance ceremony. One of us was supposed to bring Sh… to bring brother." Shibi thought for a brief moment before he nodded once. "The Entrance ceremony is marked on the calendar. One of the others in the clan will take him." Relieved, both shinobi continued on their way.

Shiroji curled up in bed, desperately fighting tears. _'The ceremony started an hour ago… I'm…not important enough to take time for. Why?'_

**-Karas-**

Karas paused, one hand held out in a strike, sweat dripping down his face. _'Where is he? It's not like Rei to be late for our sparring sessions. It's been three days now, he's missed two.'_ The boy quickly decided his next actions. _'I'll go by his house, see if he's sick or something.'_

He stopped outside the door. The lights were out, but the door was open. _'I hope they're okay…' _Karas knocked on the door anyway, then stepped inside and called out. "Hello? Is anyone here? Reiji? Murakami-san? Hello?" A small noise caught his attention. Pulling a flashlight out of his waist pouch, he flicked it on and walked cautiously through the house. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting, but it wasn't to find his best friend curled up in the corner of his room.

Karas felt his heart jump as a lump formed in his throat. The younger boy looked like hell. His face was paler than Karas had ever seen it, and his arms were wrapped around himself. Karas slowly approached, carefully dropping to his knees beside his friend. "Rei? Reiji, what's wrong? …Reiji, talk to me. What's happened?" Closer now, Karas could see that Reiji's eyes were wide and unfocussed, his lips moving almost soundlessly as fine tremors shook his body. "Reiji?" He leaned in, trying to hear what the younger boy was saying.

"I had to choose. I'm sorry" the boy was whispering over and over. "I couldn't protect them both. I just couldn't. I'm sorry. No one listened, no one helped. I had to choose. I'm sorry, I… I had to. I had to, I'm sorry…" A chill ran through the older boy at the broken tone of the younger. "What do you mean, Reiji? Choose what? Rei? Why are you sorry?" The younger boy stopped, and Karas felt his breath stop as dead eyes met his.

Reiji spoke clearly, his voice oddly blank. "I had to choose which one I would protect. That day, when I got here… Mom was holding Kiri under water. To protect Kiri, I couldn't keep mom safe. To protect mom, I had to let Kiri die. I had to choose." Karas felt his heart begin to race as the other spoke, and a cold weight seemed to settle over his chest. "Rei, what did you do?" The younger boy just blinked, seeming frighteningly calm. "I confessed, but they didn't believe me. Said I was in shock."

His mind seemed disconnected from his body, and he couldn't breathe, but Karas still forced the words out. "Reiji… _**what did you do?**_" I… pushed her down the stairs. Of the Hokage monument. I… I killed my mother." Karas felt his world stop as those dead eyes shattered. He numbly noted that the grey shifted to the color of blood as Reiji buried his face in his knees and screamed(**1**).

**-Arashi-**

"Arashi-kun." The redhead glanced up after placing the last of the boxes in the wagon carefully. "Yes, ma'am?" he asked. The woman patted the stool beside her, and the eight year old bounced over to sit down. The merchant simply looked at him until the boy began to squirm, and then she nodded to herself. "Arashi-kun, there's something I would like to ask you. I know things have been difficult for you since your mother died, and I know that the other children in this town do not accept you, is that right?" The smile faded from the boy's face, and Arashi looked at his sandals as he nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

The woman hesitated for a brief moment before she continued. "Well, Arashi-kun, I've been thinking. You've been working for me while I've been here in Konoha for the last two years. I was wondering… would you like to come with me when I leave tomorrow?" He froze, his mind racing. "I… is it okay?" he questioned. "Yes, I've already spoken to the authorities. They said that as long as I bring you back to Konoha if it doesn't work out, then they will list it as a kind of work-study. So what do you think, would you like to get out and see somewhere besides the Leaf Village?"

Arashi didn't even have to think about it. "Yes, ma'am, I'd like that _very_ much!" _'There are way too many painful memories here, and not much chance of making enough good ones to be worth it.' _

**-Midori-**

A knock on his window made Midori jump. He crossed the floor, and frowned when he saw Kyoshiro waiting for him to open the window. But he did open it, crossing his arms as the other boy slipped through. "One, why didn't you use the door? And two, why are you here this late at night? I was reading, you know."

The dark haired one grinned, the expression catching Midori completely off guard. Kyo did _not_ grin. The other reached up and slung the backpack off of his shoulders, wincing just a little when it hit the floor with a heavy **thud**. But the grin remained. "You've already read that book. You've already read all of your books. But" his eyes actually sparkled. "You haven't read _these_ books. And there's a ton more where these came from. Enough that you shouldn't run out of stuff to read for _years_. Not even as fast as you read." Midori's eyes widened. "Really? Let me see." The two boys picked up the backpack and dumped its' contents out on the kitchen table.

"I didn't really look at the titles" Kyo told him. "I just sort of picked some up." Midori just nodded, not really paying attention. He opened a book, skimmed the first two pages… and felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly closed that book and picked up another, skimming the first page before closing it again.

He looked up at his best friend with a mixture of horror and excitement shining in his eyes. "Kyo, do you _know_ what you've got here?" The other just shook his head, clearly puzzled. "No, I told you – I didn't really look at them. Why?" Midori just shook his head in wonder. "Kyo, these are ninja texts. This one" he tapped his book for emphasis "is on chakra theory. And you can get to a lot of these?"

The other boy's shocked expression slowly shifted to a sly smirk. "Yeah, I can. …You know, I bet we could teach ourselves all this chakra and jutsu stuff…" "Kyo…" Midori tried, he really did, but the other was set on teaching himself to use chakra. And to be honest, Midori wasn't trying all _that_ hard.

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(**1**) Yeah, who _didn't_ see that one coming?

On another note, just to satisfy my curiosity - which of my kids is your favorite? Or who would you like to see more of? And why? ...Yes, I'm nosy like that. As always, Read and Review, please.


	8. 3 Years Ago part 1

**Disclaimer:** If you know it from anywhere but my story, I don't own it.

**A/N:** Yes, you read right - **part 1**. We're getting into the actual plot now, so one or two scenes from one or two characters per year won't cut it anymore. gets nervous Let's all hope I can pull this off like I'm wanting to. Also, on going back and re-reading the last chapter, I felt like I needed to explain why Kyo got into the Nara's library so easily. ...I'm actually a little surprised that no one called me on that. And lastly, thank you to **jesphoenix05**. Kind words mean **a lot** to this author. Now, enough of my rambling. Enjoy.

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3 Years Ago (part 1)

**-Tenka-**

The boy glanced up and down the street, looking for any sign of other people. Seeing none, he strode up and opened the door casually, as if he belonged there. As if he wasn't sneaking in to a place he might not be allowed.

The shinobi looking out the window of another building watched curiously and nudged his comrade. Tenka pointed the boy out and the pair watched him step into the building and close the door carefully behind him. "Should he be there? He's trying to be pretty sneaky."

His partner shook his head. "It's fine" he answered. "The wards on the door would have checked his blood, and barriers would have gone up if he wasn't a member of the clan. Any room with texts or scrolls that he doesn't have clearance to access will be locked, and alarms will sound if he tries to force the doors. The kid can check out anything he can get to as long as he brings it back. Though I wonder what he's studying. The kid acts like he'll be banned from the library or something."

**  
-Reiji-**

_Stepback-twist-strike-block-spin-sidekick-downblock-slideback-Xblock-dodge-outsidecenterblock-sidestep-upperbl-__**wham!**_ Karas stumbled back, gasping as his opponent's strike slammed into his solar plexus and stole the breath from his lungs. He collapsed to his knees, tipping his head back to open his airway. Reiji watched him, allowing his sparring partner to slow his breathing.

Karas looked up at him from the ground. "Rei, enough. We've been out here for two hours. I'm tired, I'm sore and I know you are too. Please, just relax for a minute." Reiji blinked; the older boy had sounded completely exhausted. He nodded quietly and finally straightened out of his fighting stance. Both boys were breathing heavily, sweat trickling down their faces and hands trembling from the strain they had just put their bodies through. His eyes rested on his friend for a moment, but then the nine-year-old gave himself a quick shake and turned away. "I'll work on my kicks while you rest" he tossed back over his shoulder.

Reiji didn't get two steps away before a hand caught his elbow. A brief sense of déjà vu washed over the boy as he was forcibly turned to face intense blue eyes. But this time, Karas was the one whose expression twisted with pain. "Rei, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You were out here before I arrived; you sparred just as hard as you could. I _know_ you're pushing yourself way too hard. You're stronger than me now, even with the Byakugon I can barely keep up with you. Please, Rei, just take a break. Just relax, just for a few minutes." The younger boy stood trembling in the grip of the elder, his eyes on the ground and his fists clenching and unclenching as he struggled with himself. Finally he shook his head. "I can't."

Karas grit his teeth, forcing himself to take a deep breath. "And. Why. Not? Rei, I've been watching you work yourself into the ground for three months. What could be worth that?" The younger of the pair went completely still for the space of a heartbeat. When he looked back up, Karas saw red bleed in and overwhelm the green in his eyes.

When he spoke, his voice was soft, but it held an intensity that stole the elder's breath all over again. "I wasn't strong enough. For mom. For Kiri. For _my __**family!**_ I wasn't strong enough to protect them, so I lost one. I can't let that happen again. I have to be strong enough to protect Kiri. Karas, I _have_ to! She's all I've got."

Blue eyes searched red ones carefully, both boys looking for something they weren't quite sure how to define. Whatever it was, they obviously found it, because they both nodded before sliding back into the low fighting stance of the Hyuuga clan.

**  
-Midori-**

The boy shook his head suddenly, slinging light brown bangs out of his face. He ran his finger under one line of the scroll he was reading, and then a brilliant smile blossomed on his face. He turned and called out to his companion excitedly. "Kyo, I think I've got it!" The other immediately slid a clip on to mark his place on his own scroll and rounded the table to look over the brunet's shoulder. "Oh, yeah?"

Midori reached over to pick up the small kitchen knife on the table, eyes slipping closed. He ran his fingers lightly over the flat of the blade, his brow furrowing as he concentrated. Tension in the arm as fingers pushed against the blade, and he heard Kyoshiro gasp. When his eyes opened the first thing he saw was the awed look on his friend's face. Purple eyes flicked down to the knife in his hands. The knife that now shimmered with a faint blue glow.

Both boys held their breath as he turned the knife and pressed gently into the table, watching as the wood was scratched just before the steel touched it. The two boys shared an ecstatic smile and spoke as one. "_We did it!_"

**  
-Arashi-**

"Ash-kun, a hand over here?" the woman called out. The red-haired boy ran to her side, leaping over small obstacles in his way before dropping to his knees beside her. "Yes, ma'am?" he huffed, out of breath from his sprint. "This wheel is cracked, and I need to replace it before we can move out. Go and fetch our gloves, okay?" The boy nodded, jumping up and sprinting through their small camp to their tent.

Stepping back out and closing the tent flap behind him, Arashi paused to consider the life he had so quickly become immersed in.

They were traveling with a caravan this time, safer that way when traveling between Countries. They were in the Stone country at the moment, and the mountains were beautiful in the spring. Beautiful, and dangerous. He had learned enough about terrain and travel over the last year to understand that without the caravan leader, he and his guardian would have run into trouble weeks ago. The mountains were riddled with caves, and neither one of the Konoha pair were experienced enough to tell when a dip in the ground was just a dip, or when it meant that the earth beneath them would open up under the weight of the wagon. But the views – like the one from this little glade – were breathtaking.

_'Mom would have loved it…'_

**  
-Mariko-**

"Aren't you a cutie?" the teenager cooed. "Come here, sweetie, let's find you something pretty to wear for the festival." The little girl hesitated, glancing back at her mother for permission. Imari made a vaguely shooing gesture, her attention focused on the fabrics in front of her. Mariko gave a small, shy smile to the black haired teen as she stepped within reach. The older girl immediately caught her hand and tugged the child over to the nearest rack of silks. "How old are you, cutie?" Mariko held up six fingers for the teen's answer. "Aw, I was wrong. Oh, well. Anyway, with that coloring and those curls… hmm, let's try this one."

The teenager picked up a pretty pink kimono with little birds printed on it, holding it up near the child's shoulder. She tilted her head and looked at it critically, then shook her head and returned the outfit to the rack. "No, no" she muttered. "That won't do, it's too light. Hmm, what about…" And so the teen went through the same process nearly a dozen times, while the little one seemed to find her feet absolutely fascinating. Finally the girl held up an outfit and squealed. "Oh, that's _perfect!_ You'll be so cute!" Brown eyes flitted up at the teen's excitement, and then widened in awe.

The kimono that the older girl held up was a royal purple silk with small, brightly colored butterflies printed along the edge of the sleeves and neckline. A print of single white flowers formed a false belt around the waist and down the right side, widening until they formed a 'field' of flowers at the bottom hem. It was beautiful, the prettiest thing the child had seen. Her mouth in a small O, Mariko reached out to touch, but snatched her hand back as if burned. Her eyes darted to where her mother stood talking with the shopkeeper and she fiddled with the sleeves of her shirt. Not really paying attention, the teenager caught the girl's hand again and tugged her over to the two adults.

"Mom, Inuzuka-san, I think we found one." Both women smiled fondly as the teen chattered at the child. "Well, Inuzuka-chan? What do you think? Do you like it? Hate it? What? Come on, what do you think? Is it something you'd want to wear? Do you want to find something else? Come on, tell me."

By this time the little girl's eyes had widened and were fixed firmly on the floor. Her hands were tucked behind her, and she chewed nervously on her lower lip. She took a breath and opened her mouth as if to speak, but her eyes flitted up to the adults and back down to the floor. Her mouth closed. This happened a few times, and her mother was starting to look irritated when the shopkeeper chuckled. "Ai, calm down – you're scaring the child. She's obviously very shy, and you're overwhelming her."

After the pair's clothes were paid for, mother and daughter left the shop. Imari shot Mariko an irritated glance, and spoke harshly. "What was that? Have you forgotten how to speak? Well?!" Mariko just bit her lip. She was in trouble again, and trouble… meant punishment.

**  
-Hinata- **

The girl paused in her rush through the trees, turning slightly to try and spot the faint surge of chakra she had just felt brush up against her senses. _'Um, let's see… I know my team is further out, and… Iruka-sensei has a class nearby. But…'_ Lightly moving closer to the clearing the Academy instructor was using, Hinata looked over the area more carefully.

_'Ah, there. I think I recognize the older one from the House. I don't know the smaller one – I can't see his face from this angle – but I imagine he's another cousin. Both of those chakra surges __**felt**__ like the activation of a bloodline ability.' _Moving just another branch closer, the girl made a small motion designed to catch her former sensei's eye, then gestured slightly down towards the two boys watching the class so intently. The teacher noticed her signal and made a subtle one of his own, letting her know that he was aware of the little spies and was allowing them to stay. The young chuunin smiled, biting back a giggle as she turned away. _'That's one of the older classes. I guess that these two want to get a head start on their classmates. Smart of them, actually.' _

As Hinata left to meet up with her team, neither of the boys 'hiding' in the brush realized that they had been seen. But neither of the ninjas realized that only one of those bloodline abilities was the Byakugon.

**  
-Karas- **

The boy slid one foot back, bringing his knee up at a sharp angle in front of his side before kicking at a downward angle – then using the momentum and a shift of his hips to flip the kick into a fast upward attack. He pulled his body back into a neutral position, set his foot back on the ground – and scowled. _'Still not right. __**Blast it!**__'_

Karas shook his head and took a moment to think carefully about _exactly_ what he had and had not done. _'My Byakugon lets me see through walls and how ninjas make their chakra flow, but it doesn't break down what I'm seeing. Rei's… whatever it is he's got… may let him copy these moves easily, but I've got a lot of solo training to do if I want to keep up with him.' _The Hyuuga boy slid back to try the move again.


	9. 3 Years Ago part 2

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know that I don't own.

A/N: Wow, this... _killed_ me. But you all deserve it, for putting up with my erratic updates and flat writing. I never seem to be able to get across the emotion I want to convey... Anyway, thank you to my new reviewer, **elvesdragon**. Reviews always brighten my day, and I treasure every one that I get.

Also, : _this _: shows the one short little flashback. And yay, the line break thingies are back!

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**-Kyo-**

The boy stood on his tiptoes, stretching out as tall as he could as he pulled at a book with his fingertips. _'Almost… got it!'_ A smirk crossed his face, unmarred by the split lip and black eye that the boy sported. The ten-year-old settled back on his heels, ignoring the ache in his bruised limbs and likely-broken ribs.

Sitting at one of the tables scattered throughout the library, Kyo cracked open the book and began scanning through the first few pages. During the last few months he had gotten pretty good at figuring out whether the books were too advanced for him or Midori just by skimming them. Of course, those were two different qualifications. He was getting good at chakra manipulation, but Midori was getting _great_. The brunet was soaking in chakra theory and application as if he was a sponge. Flipping the book closed, Kyoshiro set it on top of the pile meant for his friend.

Standing to stretch, a gap in the books on his left caught his eye. Looking over the shelf, he noticed a small black volume shoved back on the top of some of the other books. Pulling it out, he flipped through the first few, hand-written pages curiously. Two hours later found him twelve pages into the book, elbows propped on the table and papers scattered around him as he scribbled out short notes and diagrams. Tapping one finger on the little book in thought, he studied his diagram again. His brows furrowed. _'Okay, so if the enemy __**was**__ deployed like that, then with that terrain…'_ He made a few careful notations and added a series of lines to the diagram. He studied his paper one last time, going carefully over every small detail. He turned to the next two pages and studied them with a critical eye. His eyes shone, a bright smile lighting up his bruised face. _'I see! I missed __**that**__, but… the situation should have been pretty easily salvageable. Mission successful… I won!'_

**-Karas-**

He was alone this time, seeing as how Reiji had to stay at home for a few days. Karas couldn't blame him – Kiri was sick, Karas wouldn't have left her at day care either. Especially while Rei was still trying to prove to the System that he was mature enough to raise the little girl. He had been training, but now he lay on the roof of one of the many storage sheds around the Hyuuga House. His feet were stretched out behind him and his hands were clasped lightly over his mouth and nose, breaking up the steam his breath wanted to become. He ignored the fact that his sweat was beginning to chill his skin, or that his lungs burned in the cold winter air. He also ignored the rare few inches of snow on the ground and the fact that with the Byakugon activated, it was almost blindingly bright. He ignored all of this, instead intently watching the youngsters below him. One of their 'uncles' was teaching them how to attack chakra points. It was one of the only things he had not been able to teach himself. He leaned closer, using his eyes and ears to their fullest for the next four hours.

When the stolen lesson ended, he felt a little light headed, but shook the feeling off as he made his way to his own set of rooms. What he couldn't shake off was the shivering, or the difficulty breathing when he got up the next morning. He stumbled his way to the living room, thinking fuzzily that he needed to get someone else for this. He vaguely felt himself hit the floor. He never noticed the two days that passed, much less the knocking on and then opening his door. He certainly never noticed his best friend kneeling at his side, or bolting back out, shouting for a medic.

**-Akamaru-**

He trotted down the street, cheerfully stretching his legs while his human was occupied inside the house. The Nin dog angled through side streets until he reached the large park in the center of the Inuzuka sector, where he happily ran for the trees. In the unusually cold winter they were having, the wind down Konoha's streets could get vicious. Once inside the little patch of woods, he shook himself all over, making his thick fur puff out.

So there he was, looking like nothing so much as a giant powder puff, when a quiet giggle caught his ears. Of course he had smelled the human and identified it as young and female, but also as Inuzuka. Not a threat. "Pretty doggie" the little one cooed. Always one for attention, Akamaru _woof_ed softly as he trotted towards the pup. Her mouth formed a surprised O when he reached her, and just as her hand reached out to touch his fur… a sharp voice called out "Mariko!" and the pup snatched her hand back. An older female was approaching, her lips tight with disapproval and a golden pack mate by her side. "What have I told you about touching animals without permission? Especially Nin dogs! You should know better!"

Akamaru shrank back in confusion. The little one suddenly _reeked_ of fear. Not nervousness or apprehension, like Kiba used to when they had both been pups and the human had done something bad, but actual _fear_. He was smart, but he didn't understand. The pup was pack, the older bitch was pack. Pack wasn't supposed to be afraid of pack… were they? Akamaru whined slightly, looking to the golden dog as the older female roughly snatched the younger one's arm and nearly dragged the pup behind her. The other dog just flicked his tail in dismissal. '_Don't worry about it'_, the gesture said. _'The pup is fine; Mistress knows what she is doing.'_ Akamaru whined again, uncomfortable. But he backed off, trusting the older dog's knowledge of her pack. His good mood, however, was ruined.

He slunk home, nudging open the door to find his human just as he had left him. Sitting cross legged on the floor, a torn jacket in one hand and a threaded needle in the other. Kiba was muttering heatedly under his breath. "Stupid jounin teachers with their stupid traps." He raised his voice. "Come on, Nee-san, you _know_ I can't sew!" A woman's voice answered from another room. "Tough. If you can't fix it yourself, then get a new one." Scowl set firmly in place, Kiba muttered again. "Stupid sisters." "I heard that!" The teen froze, eyes darting up to the doorway his older sister stepped through.

Akamaru couldn't take it anymore. He slunk up to stand in front of his human, and then buried his face in the boy's chest. He just stood there, breathing deeply of his master's warm scent. Kiba blinked stupidly for a moment, and then he dropped what he was holding to bury his hands in the dog's fur. The change in his scent alerted the Nin dog even before the ninja's concern sounded in his voice. "Akamaru? Hey, what's wrong, huh? What happened?" Akamaru just snuggled closer, lying down to put his head in the boy's lap. Kiba glanced up and met his sister's eyes, both of their annoyance forgotten under the dog's unusual behavior. Kiba nudged the bond between himself and his partner, trying to get Akamaru to tell him what was wrong. _'Nothing'_ the white dog replied.

And it was true. With his human running hands through his fur, he was starting to relax, his concern slipping away under the warm familiarity of his master's scent and touch. After a short time, Akamaru couldn't remember why he had been upset in the first place. After all, he was very smart, but he was still only a dog.

**-Kyo-**

He looked over his notebook with a critical eye, and then glanced at the floor. The old rug he had dragged in was serving just as well as he had thought it would. Using paint he had picked up at a local craft store, the worn patches had become 'rivers' or 'plains' or 'valleys', while the still-thicker patches had become 'forests' and 'mountains'. While it wasn't an actual topographical map of the Fire Country – he hadn't found one of those yet, but he was searching – it worked quite well for his little simulations. With his father away on a long mission, he had dared to drag it out for a lot longer time than he could normally manage. And with Midori playing the 'enemy' – the brunet was getting good at this, but he couldn't match Kyo yet – the 'mission' had been going for three days now.

They were managing it like a big role-playing game; they kept one notebook that chronicled the 'mission details' so far, and each kept their own notebook that they filled with notes and potential strategies. Each had a maximum number of people, with a set of skills and stats that they could assign however they wanted, ensuring that while their 'teams' were equally matched, neither knew exactly what the other's forces consisted of. They had written down the details of their 'team' twice, putting one sheet in the front of their notebooks and one in a sealed envelope that the other signed. They each knew that the other wouldn't cheat, but it was a good habit to practice. They took turns making their moves, trying to keep it as close to real as they knew how. Their 'mission' was a simple search and destroy, with whomever kept the most members of their team 'alive' becoming the winner. They were having so much fun. And while they didn't realize it, their individual strengths were sharpening. Midori kept setting 'traps' and catching Kyo off guard, while Kyo kept out-maneuvering Midori, occasionally pushing him back into his own traps.

As he knelt, pulling out his notebook and jotting down a few quick notes, a shadow fell over his back. The boy froze, hoping against hope that Midori had come early. But then he smelled the familiar reek of sake as the person behind him reached over and pulled the notebook out of his hands. Kyo spun around, backing up quickly. He stopped in the center of the room – there was nowhere to go, his room didn't have windows. The boy waited, his heart racing as the man in front of him – his own father – read over his notes in agonizing silence. Then a sneer crossed the man's face, and his deep voice rang out with that oh-so-familiar slur to his words. "Fancy yourself a stateg… strag… a strategist, do you boy?" He snorted in disdain, ripping the little notebook into pieces as he spoke. "You'd never make it. What makes you think an unegu… uneducated whelp like you could ever unrsta… understand how _hard_ it is to per... predict an enemy? Stera… straga… _those people_ are leaders, boy. And no one will ever follow you. Why should they? You're worthless!" This last part was nearly snarled.

As he watched the papers he had worked so hard on flutter to the ground, senselessly destroyed by a man who had held him down his entire life, Kyoshiro felt an unaccustomed rage boil up in him. His hands curled into fists as his father spoke, his body tensing as his weight shifted onto the balls of his feet. He felt like he couldn't breathe, like something was choking him. And then he took a single deep breath, and all the anger and bitterness of seven years worth of neglect and abuse came pouring out of his mouth. If he had been thinking clearly, he would have been horrified at the things he said. "Worthless?! I'm _worthless_?! You never signed me up for _school_ – I taught myself to read, to write, to do math! You _hurt_ me – I learned to stitch up wounds, to keep going in spite of pain! You said I was _weak_ – I learned to use my chakra! If I haven't done better – if I'm worthless – it's because of _you_! So _what's __**your**__ excuse_?!

The world outside seemed to disappear, as if the only place left was the little room with the angry little boy and the violent man. Finally the man moved, carefully forming a series of hand seals that the boy did not recognize. The man reached out, briefly touching one of the walls of the room. And then he stepped forward, closing the door carefully behind him, shutting the two of them in.

Outside of the room, there were only the calm sounds of a normal winter day. Inside of the room, a boy screamed.

**-Karas-**

He woke up in a strange bed. He knew, because while his little part-time jobs paid for his food and clothes, they couldn't pay for new furniture, and his own bed was lumpy. It had been his for eight years, after all. So the new bed was the first thing he noticed. The second thing he noticed was the beeping sounds, and the slight pain in his hand. He thought carefully, and sort of remembered falling and not being able to get up. _'Someone must have found me, then. This must be the hospital.'_ Then he finally registered the fact that he couldn't see. This panicked him a little, but he realized that he must have hit his head when he fell. He was probably bandaged up pretty well.

He had relaxed again, content with his new understandings, when a new noise caught his attention. A door opened, off to the left, it sounded like. The eleven-year-old turned his head towards the sound and tried to ask who was there, but the question never made it out. He coughed, the air feeling like razor blades inside his throat, and the new person stepped quickly to his bedside. A slight sloshing sound, and then a familiar voice spoke up. "Here, drink this. The nurse said that it would make you feel better." _'Reiji. He must have been the one who found me.'_ Karas sipped gratefully at the water that the other boy held to his lips for him, the cool liquid easing his throat until he felt he could talk again.

But before he could speak, his friend did. "So, are you awake this time? Really awake?" Karas frowned in confusion. "What do you mean, 'really awake'?" Rei sighed. "You've woken up once or twice before, but you didn't make sense. I don't think you really knew what was going on." _'Oh, well… that explains that.'_ Out loud he said "I don't remember waking up before. Sorry." He heard a rustle of cloth, and assumed the other must have shrugged. "Eh, don't worry about it." He felt Reiji lay a hand lightly on his forehead, and then he could hear the smile in the other's voice. "Well, I'm no doctor, but you're definitely a lot cooler than you were this morning. I think your fever finally broke. Hang on; I'm supposed to hit the button for the nurse if you wake up."

After a moment, Karas spoke up a little hesitantly. "So, how long have I been out of it?" The younger boy hesitated, and when he did speak his voice was laced with a slight guilt. "Well, we're not sure. The doctor thinks you were unconscious for one to three days before I found you, and you've been here for four days. But…" And right that moment, a brisk knock sounded and the door opened again. Karas counted two sets of footsteps.

He assumed that Rei turned to the newcomer, because his voice was suddenly suspicious. "You're not the nurse. Who are you?" A new voice answered, sounding young and female but still somehow strong. "The nurse is busy with another patient. My name is Haruno Sakura – I'm a shinobi medic, and I'm helping out since the civilian hospital is a little short staffed today." There was a brief pause, and then she sounded a little less confident. "You're… one of the Hyuuga clan? Why are you in a civilian hospital?" she questioned. Neither boy answered her, and after a moment she put the matter aside. "Well, I'm just going to do a quick assessment while Kate sets up the lunch tray, okay?" Karas nodded. _'That explains the second person.' _

While the medic took his blood pressure and temperature, he could hear her reminding herself under her breath "be nice, Sakura. They're…" Suddenly a loud clattering sound rang out, making Karas jump in surprise. A second female voice, softer and less certain than the first, spoke up. "Oh, I'm sorry! I dropped the lid for the tray!" Now moving to the foot of the bed, Sakura sighed. "It's okay Kate, but you startled Hyuuga-kun." "Civilians" he heard her murmur in a tone that obviously wasn't meant to be heard. On his right, Reiji muttered in a low voice just between them. "I don't think it's okay. But Karas, why did it startle you so badly? You were facing her when she dropped it." Karas just looked towards his friend and shook his head. "Rei, I can't see her with these bandages over my eyes."

There was a moment of silence before Reiji spoke again, even more hesitantly than before. "Kar, what bandages?" His mind froze up. The medic spoke up, addressing each of the boys. "Boy, _move_. Hyuuga-kun, I need you to do as I say, okay?" Karas nodded weakly, suddenly frightened. "Okay, I want you to close your eyes, and when I tell you to open them I'm going to shine a light in them. Okay, close. Now, open…" There was nothing. No light, no motion, just darkness. She had him do it twice more. Still nothing. He was really getting scared now, especially when he heard Sakura hiss "oh, shit!" under hear breath. Then he heard the medic snap out orders, her voice strong and sharp and _not_ to be disobeyed. "You, girl, go get the doctor. No, on second thought, go to the shinobi hospital and get Tsunade-sama. Tell her that Sakura said to get her lazy ass down here _now_. We've got a problem."

**-Midori-**

He clutched his coat tighter around himself, thinking briefly that it would have been smarter to have stayed home today.There hadn't been snow for the last few days, but it was still cold. His chin ducked down against the wind, the brunet didn't pay much attention to the ninja that shoved past him, except for a brief thought. _'You'd think ninjas would be able to avoid one ten-year-old on an empty street. Oh, well. Looks like he's headed downtown. The only things open right now are the bars… I guess there's more than one way to warm up.'_ Finally reaching his friend's house, he smiled and reached out to knock.

To his surprise, the door swung open under his hand. _'I suppose Kyo's waiting on me.'_ When he got to the other boy's room, he stopped dead in his tracks. Standing in the middle of the doorway, his wide purple eyes took in the room with a numb kind of horror. There was blood _everywhere_. Even on the ceiling. The furniture was trashed, and even the walls had a few holes in them. His eyes settled on an odd-looking lump lying on the floor in a widening pool of red. Midori blinked once, slowly, before his mind caught up with his eyes. Then he gasped, and nearly flew across the room. "Oh, _Kyo!_" His mind and his hands worked quickly in different tasks, trying to find both the worst of the bleeding and the fastest way to the hospital.

**-Reiji-**

To anyone watching from a distance, the boy standing in the shinobi hospital's courtyard on that cold winter morning would have seemed calm. Those who frequented the place would not have even found it odd that he was throwing small rocks at a knot on one particular tree, and doing it with startling accuracy. But if the watcher had come closer, they would have noticed the blank expression on the boy's face, the unfocussed eyes. In truth, the boy was anything but calm – his mind was in such turmoil that he _needed_ the smooth, mindless repetition of the throwing. _'Blind'_ he thought, his mind finally settling on one path. _'The blonde doctor said he was blind. And it's my fault…_ His memory, sharpened by two years of memorizing taijutsu, vividly replayed the moment for him.

: _The loud blonde woman was quiet for the first time since she had arrived. It was unnerving to hear such a quiet, serious voice from the woman they had heard coming from two floors down. But her face was solemn, her eyes dark with what appeared to be genuine regret as she spoke. Karas held his hand over the side of the bed, both boys white-knuckled from tension. "I'm sorry" she said. "The prolonged fever damaged the optic nerves. I can't heal this like I would any other muscle – the eyes, like the brain, are too _complex_ and delicate. Maybe if we had been able to bring the temperature down sooner…"_ :

Reiji clenched his fist, not noticing when the rock in his hand cut into his palm. He bowed his head, gritting his teeth to fight the tears that wanted to fall. _'No!'_ he told himself. _'No tears! That's a weakness I can't afford. I __**have**__ to be stronger! I thought I was getting better, but I've let __**another**__ person important to me get hurt!'_ He suddenly hurled the rock with all his strength. He stood, hand outstretched, entire body shaking in grief and anger. A small noise had him whirling around, facing back towards the hospital. A small brunet, probably about his age, stood across the courtyard. Purple eyes reflected understanding and empathy. "Do you have a friend here, too?" the boy asked. Reiji glared at the stranger, but nodded sharply. The boy's face crumpled, and he sank down on the nearest bench. "Me too. God, the bastard was hurting him. I knew, but he always seemed so strong. He said he could handle it. And now… he's hurt so bad!"

**-Midori-**

He knocked softly on the door, just in case the older boy was asleep. Hearing a voice call permission, he pushed open the door and stepped into the room. "It's me" he stated. Hyuuga Karas looked in his direction, a habit that Midori knew was useless now. He glanced around the room, noting its general emptiness with surprise. "Karas-kun, where is Reiji-kun?" It was a valid question – in the three days since he had met them, he had yet to see the two separated for very long. He knew that the only time during visiting hours that Reiji wasn't there was when he had to go pick up his little sister, and it wasn't time for that yet.

The older boy just shook his head, an ironic smile tugging at his lips. "He's packing my room." When Midori just looked confused, the other explained. "I'm being discharged tomorrow. Rei decided that if my family hasn't been helping me before, they're not likely to change that now. And unfortunately, I'm going to need help, at least for a little while. So he's decided that I will move in with him and Kiri-chan, and he's gone to pack up my things and take them to his place." Midori laughed, genuinely pleased. Ever since Reiji had introduced him to Karas – and he later introduced both of them to Kyo – the four boys had seemed to simply click. It felt as if, despite their differences, they had found kindred souls in one another, and it warmed the purple eyed boy to widen his circle of friends.

"So, Reiji-kun just took over did he?" he asked with a teasing tone. But to his surprise, Karas took his question seriously, his expression becoming sad. When the other spoke, his voice was low and thoughtful. "Yes, he did. But Midori-kun, there is one thing that you need to understand about him. I don't know if it was something he was born with, or something he learned, but… Murakami Reiji is, above all else, a protector. That boy is a guardian to the depths of his soul, and it is _killing_ him that the people he loves keep getting hurt. He is utterly determined not to lose anyone else important to him." After a moment, Midori made a vaguely affirmative sound. He knew that there was something that haunted the 'protector', something involving his family, though he didn't know what. But he was not about to pry. His new friends would tell him when they were ready.

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A/N: So, what do you think? Let me know, I can't read your minds.


	10. 2 Years Ago part 1

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A/N: I still don't own (and that's a good thing for all fans of the series). And I'm sure that you all know the warnings by now - they haven't changed.

Thank you to **Veve** for reviewing the last chapter - if you don't write (or something similar), then I don't think you can understand just how good it feels to have someone compliment your work. But it is incredibly inspiring.

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**2 Years Ago**

**Part 1**

**-Shiroji-**

He trudged down the street, ignoring the laughter of the people around him. School had been awful today. Not that the teachers were bad, but the class had been learning about shinobi history, and it had only reminded him of where he should have been. In the Academy, not this _civilian_ school. But he had been there, because they had let him sign himself up. His family had never bothered. He had seen them a few times since they put him in his little apartment, but they had quickly stopped coming. _'They're so disappointed in me,'_ he thought _'they won't even look at me anymore…'_ Shiroji shook his head, trying to chase away his foul mood. He had decided to take the long way back, passing by the Inuzuka sector. The puppies were always out playing on bright days, and they cheered him up the few times his situation caught up to him. Times like now.

Stopping in front of an open gate, he noted with disappointment that the puppies were inside today. But as he turned away, a cruel voice caught his attention. The blond hesitated, concern warring with self-preservation instincts. But the ninja 'protect your comrades' mentality that Shino had taught him quickly settled the conflict. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped onto private property. Following the voice, he rounded a corner and stopped. His jaw dropped even as his fists clenched, his depression becoming anger at the sight in front of him.

A little girl was cowering, back pressed against the wall behind her and eyes squeezed shut. A little dog, barely up to Shira's knee, was stalking towards her. A boy, just a year or two older than him, was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and an arrogant smirk on his face. "What's wrong, Ko-chan?" the boy taunted. "I know you're a coward, but don't tell me you're scared of dogs. What kind of Inuzuka are you?" Shiroji exploded.

"What the heck kind of Inuzuka are _YOU?!_ She's your _family_ you jerk!" The blond stepped towards the bigger boy, ignoring the dog that was now growling at him. He didn't see the girl's eyes widen as he practically screamed at her tormentor, tears gathering in his eyes. "Is this the stuff your clan teaches? That it's _okay_ to hurt each other?! That just because one of you is different, that one doesn't belong?! That that person isn't one of you anymore?! Is that what you ninjas believe? That you stand with your comrades – as long as that comrade is useful to you?!" The other boy was starting to look uncomfortable now, glancing warily down the streets. "Damn," he muttered. "you'll attract attention." Then he sneered. "Psh, this isn't worth my time. Iromaru, we're leaving."

As the older boy and his dog left, Shiroji finally noticed his own tears. He raised a shaking hand to wipe his face, but found a handkerchief held out towards him. The little girl had stepped away from her wall, and held out her offering hesitantly. When he took it and forced a smile, she smiled shyly back. "Thank you." she nearly whispered. She peeked out from underneath brown curls as he scrubbed his face. "I know I'm a coward, and I'm not much use, but…"

"Bull" he interrupted. "Even if you are scared of dogs, so what? That doesn't mean that you're useless. It just means that you'll have to find a different way to be useful. If they'll give you a chance, I bet you'd make your whole clan proud of you!" The girl's brown eyes widened again, and her voice was breathless as she whispered "You… do you really think so?" He nodded firmly, his depression banished. "I do. If you want, I'll help you find something you're good at." The girl's smile widened as she nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes. Please, I'd really like that!" Shiroji smiled at the anticipation in the younger girl's voice. "Okay, if your parents wouldn't mind, then we can go to my place. My name's Shira, by the way. Aburame Shiroji." The girl glanced down the street, and then turned back towards her new friend. "My name is Mariko. Inuzuka Mariko." Shira grinned, his normal cheerfulness returning in full force. "Well, Mari-chan, let's go find you a talent!"

**-Arashi-**

The ten year old bent eagerly over the item in his hands, firelight reflecting brightly on his red hair. His fingers danced over the strings of the strange instrument, the 'guitar' as Kenji had called it. His smile had the open excitement of a child as he coaxed out sounds finally recognizable as music. His fellow travelers laughed at his glee. Some called out teasing comments, others tried to hide their smiles and grumped about 'damn fool kids making noise'. One of the women called out that Arashi could play something to dance to, and Kenji smiled. The short man tossed an evil grin at his student, and then answered in a lofty voice. "Don't you know? He doesn't need to play just for dancing. Our boy can _sing_." The face of the boy in question flamed almost as red as his hair as in between chuckles his friends called out for a song. Kenji snatched the guitar out of his hands, giving him a smug smirk and stating "I'll play, you sing."

One hour – and who knows how many songs – later, Kenji patted the boy on the shoulder. "Enough, kid. You've got to save a little bit of that voice." When Arashi looked confused, the man shook his head in mock exasperation. "Boy, you'll have to sing – and play – for Kagome when she gets back from town." The boy nodded, his smile gentling as he thought of the woman who had taken him out of Konoha. "I'll never be able to repay her" he told his friend. "She showed me a whole world I never would have seen without her. Without all of you." This, of course, produced blushes and chuckles all around.

**-Shibi-**

Shibi thought carefully for a moment, and then wrote out a few sentences. He looked up and held out the pen. "Shino" he called. The younger ninja twitched. In most, it would have been a tiny movement, nearly unnoticeable. But to the still, stoic Aburame clan, it was as telling as a full body jerk. The teenager took the pen, and approached the table as cautiously as if the innocuous piece of paper was the deadliest of enemies. His hands didn't shake, but Shibi could see from the hard line of the teen's shoulders that they wanted to.

He felt a familiar wave of sadness as he thought about his family. His wives were gone, one to the enemy and one to his youngest son's birth. His sons… one of his sons was fine. He had been unable to speak with the boy lately; either it was an indecent hour when he was coming in, or he was leaving for a mission, or the boy was in school. In fact, he could not immediately recall when the last time he had spoken to the child had been, but he had seen Shiroji on the streets. The blond was always smiling, always laughing. Being separated from the clan had not hurt his youngest one bit.

His oldest, however… Shino felt guilty. Both of them did, really, as if some failure of theirs had caused the insect's rejection of the child. He knew that they had both gone over everything that they had and had not done, especially in those first few months, trying in vain to find the reason _why_. But Shino had taken it especially hard. Despite their differences, the two had been so close… To have his insects harm the child, to have them _still_ try and harm the child, was agony to the stoic teen. Neither of them could look the little boy in the eye anymore, but Shino could bring himself to speak his brother's name only with pain. Signing a simple birthday card was hurting his oldest. Shibi closed his eyes for a brief second.His family was broken, and there wasn't a damn thing that he could do about it.

**-Midori-**

He darted forwards, hand snapping out in a quick strike even as he angled to the left. His opponent blocked his blow at the last possible second, gripping Midori's arm and shoving it to spin the brunet around. The boy went with the motion, allowing the momentum to send him into a shoulder roll. He came up just in time to block a right hook, ducking back as his opponent threw a fast round kick at his head. He blocked the side kick that immediately followed, shoving back against the blow. His opponent pulled away, sliding back and – slamming his head against a branch.

Midori instantly dropped out of his fighting stance, calling out worriedly as his opponent crumpled to the ground. "Karas! Are you –" "I'm fine" the older boy muttered, a dark flush rising on his face. "But –" "Leave it" a new voice called. Midori turned, glancing across the forest clearing to see Reiji leaning against one of the trees as Kyo dropped to lie back on the ground. Both boys were scratched up, bruises beginning to show in various places. But both boys looked pleased, that slight smirk on each of their faces letting him know that their time had gone well.

As Karas pulled himself to his feet – refusing Midori's aid – he couldn't help but shake his head at the odd group the four of them made. The blind genius; relearning how to walk alone but insisting on sparring, and getting pissed if he felt his friends were daring to go easy on him. The budding tactician; uneducated but researching theories and coming up with plans to push their limits. The copycat; carefully watching his elders and soaking up the weapons and taijutsu that they didn't realize they were teaching him. And himself, the chakra wielder; fine tuning his control and altering jutsu to suit him. They were an odd group, but they balanced each other out – each helping the others improve in what the 'teacher' was best at. What he didn't consciously realize, was that between them, they were learning everything that pre-Genin knew. And then some.

**-Shura-**

She glanced back, sharing a grin with Kagome. As the final stop, the pair had ducked into a bakery. It wasn't on the agenda, but Kagome had suggested picking up a few sweets and Shura had agreed, both thinking of a certain fire-haired child waiting back at camp. The two women browsed the shop, laughingly discussing the reactions they would get if they brought back this or that treat. As they moved up to the counter with their selection, the door banged open. The shop keeper, a pretty young woman with a kind face, looked up and turned pale. Both customers turned in time to see a young man with a furious expression storm in to the shop. He shoved rudely past the pair and rounded the counter as the young woman began backing away. Kagome's expression hardened as the man slammed a palm against the wall and snarled in the girl's face. "What the _HELL_, Kisa?! I just heard – you're going out with that bastard?! Were you already with him when you broke up with me? Well, were you?! Answer me, damnit!"

The girl gulped nervously, her eyes darting to Shura and Kagome before she looked back at the young man and spoke. "Hiro, it's been four months. Please, can't we talk about this later? Please, Hiro? I have customers, and…" The young man snarled again, snatching the girl by her shirt and slamming her against the wall. "I don't give a damn about your customers! This is" "Quite enough." All three in the room gaped as Kagome interrupted Hiro's screaming. The older woman ignored the reaction, her voice taking on the firm tone of a mother as she stepped around the counter and continued. "This young woman is trying to conduct her business, and you are causing a disturbance. You, young man, need to calm down." The young man in question had let go of the girl by this time, turning to face Kagome and looking absolutely dumbfounded by the scolding that he was receiving.

Then he shook his head. "Shut up" he growled, his voice rising until he was screaming again. "Shut up, _shut up, SHUT UP!_" Shura cussed and the shop keeper screamed as the young man threw a punch, knocking Kagome down and to the side. All three froze as older woman's head hit the edge of the counter with a sharp cracking sound. The young man went pale, his fist dropping to his side as he stared in horror. The shop keeper took one step forward, her hands coming up to cover her mouth. Shura whispered unconsciously as she stepped around the counter. "Kagome…?" And then she could see. The older woman was sprawled on the floor, her neck bent at an unnatural angle. As Shura dropped to her knees, she dimly heard the girl whisper. "No… oh, no…nonono_no_".

**-Mariko-**

The bright colors attracted her attention first. The caravan wagons at the city gates were trimmed in vibrant red and cool blue, deep green and bright gold and hints of royal purple. The people spilling out of those wagons were dressed similarly, all flare and flamboyance. But the expressions on their faces belied their cheerful attire. Those faces were serious, the few smiles weak and obviously forced. And then the lack of color drew her eye. The boy, dressed in solid black, stood out among his bright neighbors like blood on the snow. Mariko shivered as that thought brought up memories of some of the gruesome images her mother had trapped her in as 'punishment' the day before.

With an effort, the little girl forced aside those memories and concentrated again on the dark-clothed boy. His shoulders slumped, hands dangling limply at his sides. His chin was tilted down, his hair hiding his eyes. She could, however, see the dark circles. There was a touch of pallor to his tanned skin that screamed that the boy was not well. She watched as a small, dark haired man put a longish bundle in the boy's hands, and he looked up for an instant. His expression was… blank. She shivered again, and wondered if that was how she looked when she was being punished. Mariko heard her mother call her, and she turned to hurry back to the woman's side. But she could not help but give one last thought to the redhead. _'What demons are locked inside of him?'_

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A/N: Okay, quick question. About the caravan lady... did that seem as utterly random to you as it feels to me? Because I'm seriously considering taking it out and just adding a line or two in Arashi's part where someone comes in and just tells them she died. It's kind of bugging me. Anyone have an opinion?


	11. 2 Years Ago part 2

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who reads this fic, and a BIG thank you to **Veve** and **elvesdragon** for reviewing the last chapter. Hopefully this one will also live up to both of your expectations! This is another short chapter, but it's necessary for the future. As always, R & R so I know what you like and what I need to work on.

**Warnings, etc:** I don't own, and the Naruto cast is very happy about that. My cast isn't so happy about the **language, violence and mild angst** I put them through.

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**-Kyo-**

The eleven year old moved his piece, and then waited with a blank face for his opponent's next move. The man shook his head, sneering as he moved his game piece and claimed one of Kyo's pieces. "You're going to lose, little boy. You should have stayed in the children's tournament." Once the move was completed, Kyo's blank expression turned into an arrogant smirk. He casually reached out, and moved the piece that set off a chain reaction, leaving him one move away from victory – and his opponent's pieces in no position to stop him. "Well," he nearly drawled, "if I should have stayed with the children, then who should you be playing against?" His smirk became a vicious chuckle as he watched his opponent gape at the sudden reversal.

Kyo was too busy laughing to pay attention to the vaguely familiar chuunin who watched the game with a slightly troubled, but extremely thoughtful expression.

Shikamaru was busy trying to remember where he had seen the civilian boy who had just pulled off a strategy worthy of any ninja tactician.

**-Suzume-**

The eight year old inched closer, nervously twisting her fingers in the hem of her shirt. She stopped, leaning her shoulder against a tree and peering around it. Resting her head against the rough bark, she listened to the soothing sounds echoing through the park. The music was slow, and almost heartbreakingly sad, as if the musician was trying to pour out all of the feelings that there were simply no words to express. She understood. It was just like when her mother died. She was alone, because her father stayed out on missions all of the time. He had to support three young children, after all. Although Suzume wished that he would give them less money and more time. Sometimes she wondered if the even knew each other anymore.

'_Iruka-sensei doesn't have to teach me responsibility'_ she thought again, _'I learned that from taking care of Isamu and Sayuri, not to mention watching Dad wear himself out trying to keep us all fed'._ She felt vaguely guilty for even coming close to thinking about her younger brother and sister as burdens, but she pushed the feeling back into the depths of her mind. Letting her eyes slide closed, Suzume lost herself in music and memories.

More sensing than hearing a small disturbance nearby, she let her eyes open and glanced curiously around. She was unsure of how long she had been entranced by the sounds, but she smiled a little sadly as she realized what had disturbed her. _'So, I'm not the only one who feels this'_ she thought, her ninja-in-training eyes quickly picking out the two – no, three – other children lingering in the area. One very little girl had a nasty bruise on her face, and she leaned over slightly, one arm wrapped around her ribs as if they hurt her. One boy a little older than Suzume wore clothes that were just a little too small, ragged and faded, and his arms were crossed over his chest even as he leaned towards the music. Her eyes widened as she recognized the last, a boy from her own class. _'That's right; his parents are dead, aren't they? I think he lives with… an aunt?'_ As she settled back against her tree, it occurred to Suzume that, as different as the four of them looked, they all had at least one thing in common. They were all touched by the music played by one red haired boy sitting 'alone' in the woods.

**-Midori-**

He stood in line, waiting patiently for his turn at the grocery counter. His gaze slid over the other people nearby, but his attention was caught as the cashier in the next line over spoke rather sharply. "That's not enough. You're short nearly a third of the total." He looked over curiously, just in time to see the child that the man was speaking to turn pale and stare at the ground. "Listen kid," the man griped. "I don't mind a mistake once or twice, but you do this every time you come in here. Don't you know how to shop inside your budget?" Midori frowned as the child flinched, obviously stung by the sharp tone. The boy, probably about six or seven, mumbled an apology and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, apparently to see what could be taken out of the bag. His frown only deepened as he looked more closely at the child. The boy was skinny, almost bony. The clothes were too big, but ragged and stained. And the groceries the kid was buying weren't a whole lot…

Before he even realized what he intended, Midori had stepped away from his own line and pulled out his wallet. "Here" he stated as he fished out the required amount. "This should pay for it, right?" The cashier carefully counted up the amount, and then nodded. He smiled down at the child who stared at him with confusion and wonder. "Go on," he encouraged, and the child gave him one blinding smile before taking the money. Midori smiled himself as he stepped up to pay for his own purchases.

He startled slightly as he walked out, surprised to see the child fall in step beside him. "Thank you" the boy murmured shyly. "You're welcome" he responded, a little confused and trying to find something to say. "Um, did your mom send you out shopping?" The little boy shook his head. "No, I sent me. Sister is out on a mission. She's gone a lot, so I run out of food sometimes while she's out. I get easy stuff, 'cause I don't cook good." Midori just blinked, casting about his mind for a response. Just before he said something likely to sound stupid, he remembered that he had left stew cooking in the crock pot at home. He had made enough for tomorrow, too, so… "Well, I cook okay. Would you like to eat with me tonight?" The child's face lit up, and Midori didn't have to hear the excited babble to know that the boy had accepted.

**-Reiji-**

The ten year old stared at the floor in sheer boredom, waiting for the nurse to come back. The little clinic was closing in an hour, but he wanted to get some salve for the bruises on his shoulder. Midori and Kyo made one hell of a team to try and 'destroy'. Between the complexity and the placement of the traps they set… well, Reiji wouldn't want to fight them for real. He glanced up as the door to one of the treatment rooms opened, and a little blonde girl came out with bruises on her face and a cast on her left arm. He tilted his head, unashamedly listening in as the nurse finished her instructions. "Now remember, try not to get that wet, and come back in a week, okay?" The girl nodded, her eyes never leaving the floor. As the girl walked out, Reiji caught a brief glimpse of the look in her eyes. Once the child was gone, he heard the nurse speak to one of her coworkers. "Honestly," the woman said "these kids push themselves far too hard. That child is a mass of bruises, and her arm was broken in two different places. I know she's probably a ninja student, but still…" His eyes narrowed. _'Ninja student?'_ he thought in disgust. _'Bull. That girl is no more ninja than Kiri is. You people are blind.'_

**-Shiroji-**

He grinned, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet as he waited impatiently for his friend. His grin turned into a bright laugh as he spotted the little girl coming around the corner. "Mari-chan!" he called out, unable to hold his excitement any longer. The brunette glanced up and smiled, her face lighting up as she hurried the last few yards to stand beside him. But she didn't stand for long. Shiroji grabbed her hand, tugging eagerly as he half ran down the road. Mariko laughed for the first time in days, calling out to the boy rushing in front of her. "Shira-kun, where are we going? Why are we running? What is it?" The nine year old tossed his words carelessly over his shoulder, more excited than the little girl had ever seen him. "To the western woods, because this is cool so I want you to hurry up and see it, and it's a surprise!" Mariko giggled, both children waving to the shinobi on guard at the city gates as Shiroji called out to them. "We're going to the woods; we'll be back by dark!" Both of them were too busy running to see the ninjas look at each other and shake their heads, grinning at the children's enthusiasm.

"Alright," he huffed, out of breath from their long run. "We have to slow down now; they're really protective so we don't want to seem like a threat." The two children were leaning against trees, catching their breath. Mariko looked up at his words, a hint of nerves threading into her voice. "What do you mean, Shira-kun? Who is really protective?" The blond just grinned, waving a hand carelessly in the air. "You'll see. It's cool, I promise. Come on." Mariko hesitated, worried, but she followed. After all, she trusted Shiroji. The pair crept through the woods, slowing their breathing and stepping lightly until Shiroji held up a hand. They were farther away from Konoha than Mariko had ever been, and the seven year old was nervous. But then Shiroji pointed at a specific treetop, handing her a pair of binoculars and putting one finger over his lips. He grinned again, watching eagerly as his friend looked where he pointed. His grin became a smothered laugh as her mouth dropped open, forming a small "o" in astonishment. "Aren't they awesome?" he asked quietly as he took out a pair of binoculars for himself and focusing on the treetop. More specifically, on the nest in the branches and the beautiful gold and white bird sitting on it. "I heard one of the ninjas talking about them. They're called War Shrikes. This pair is young; they get even bigger than that. But they're really smart, and really dangerous if you mess with them. The lady I listened to said that they're almost impossible to tame, but that the few ninjas in history who managed it used to use them in battle. Kind of like your clan uses it's dogs, or mine uses bugs. The ninjas aren't going to train out here while the pair is nesting; they say that it's good luck to have them around your city."


	12. 1 Year Ago part 1

**A/N: **Well, these next few chapters will be a little short, but that's for a reason. We've mostly passed one of the two big parts of the story (developing the characters and relationships) and now I have to set up for the big part. Thank you again to **Veve** for taking the time to review my little fic, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to put this in? I'm sure you all know by now that I don't own Naruto.

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**1 Year Ago**

**Part 1**

**-Midori-**

He tasted the stew, thinking carefully before deciding that it needed just a little more salt. Adding a pinch of the required ingredient, he stirred the large pot a few more times. The twelve year old didn't bother to turn when he heard his front door open; he just called out over his shoulder. "Wash up, it's ready." As he took the pot off of the stove, he smiled about the rush of sound that erupted from the dining room. "I'm not here for that" a quiet voice replied. Midori did glance back this time, his expression faintly shocked. "Rei? What are you doing here? And is that -" "Bread" the other responded, lifting the bag in his arms a little higher. "It's from yesterday, so it's not very fresh, but they were selling it at a discount and I thought of you." Midori nodded for the younger boy to follow as he carefully carried the pot into the dining room.

Setting the pot on a side table, he started filling bowls and setting them out for his 'guests'. Without being told, Reiji began adding thick slices of the bread on paper plates. Midori's smile saddened just a little as he watched his friend take in the setting. As children came up to the table, Midori checked to make sure that they had washed their faces and hands, sending the occasional youth back to rewash. If they had washed well, they were given a bowl of stew, a spoon and now a slice of bread and butter or jam. Cafeteria tables had been pushed together in the center of the room, with pitchers of water waiting to refill the cups at each chair. There were nearly twenty children crowded into the room. He could tell that Rei was amazed; there was no pushing or arguing in the line, the children all waiting patiently for their share. Little Kiri-chan glanced up at her brother, her expression nearly pleading. Reiji glanced over at Midori, and forwarded the nod he received. The four year old eagerly joined the line, and once all of the children had gotten their meals Midori and Reiji fixed themselves a bowl. The younger boy watched the tables, not taking his eyes off of them as he spoke. "Damn Dori, we knew you had suppers, but I didn't know there were so many who came." Midori just nodded, his own voice reflecting sorrow. "I know. It started out with just one, but then word spread… all of these kids either are orphans, or their caretaker is out of town for long periods of time. I do this twice a week, and for some of these little ones, it's the only real meal they get." Both boys were quiet for a long time before Reiji broke the silence between them. "You know, for a city full of people who 'protect' it, there sure are a lot of kids who suffer."

And there was really nothing one could say to that.

**-Mariko-**

She slipped quietly through the trees, hurrying as much as the need for silence would allow. The brunette was in tears, nearly choking on her breath as she tried to bite back her sobs. On reaching her destination, the eight year old dropped onto her knees, buried her face in her hands and sobbed. The blond boy waiting for her sat up instantly in alarm. "Mari-chan, Mari what's wrong?" he demanded, nearly panicked by her heartbroken crying. "They… they're _dead!_" the little girl choked out. Shiroji blinked in surprise. "What? Who's dead? Mari, what are you talking about?" Mariko lifted her face from the shelter of her hands, and leaned against the boy as he wrapped his arms around her. "The parent birds. I… I heard… heard some ninjas… from my clan. They said… they said that some… some idiot got too close and… and they attacked and… and ANBU had to come save the idiot… but, but they killed the parents!" And she promptly burst into tears again. Shiroji went quiet, just letting her sob against his shoulder as he stared towards the nest that they had been watching for the last three months.

Mariko _eep-_ed a little when the ten year old that she was leaning on suddenly stood. Looking up, her eyes widened as she recognized the expression on his face. It shone with the same focus and determination that he had faced down her older clan-mate with. He looked down at her, set his jaw and spoke. "You stay here" he told her. "Stay? But… where are you going?" she stammered. He just looked up at the nest again. "I'm going to save our fledglings. They're not big enough to be alone yet, and it looks like the ninjas are just going to leave them there. Maybe they can't be tamed, but that doesn't mean we can just let them die!" Mariko just stared with wide eyes as he marched off towards the tree.

**-Arashi-**

He glanced up through his lashes, careful not to look like he was watching. _'They're here again.'_ he thought, covertly observing his 'audience'. Finally, after months of being 'oblivious', he decided to speak to them. "You can come out, you know. I don't mind if you listen." he called, waiting with bated breath. And sure enough, they came slipping out of the woods like some kind of forest spirits. About eleven children, ranging from about five years old to one who looked about fourteen, all different. But all with two things in common; a cautious expression and a habit of coming to hear him play. He set his guitar gently on the ground, watching as the children found seats on the ground around him. "So," he began, "why are all of you here? Surely you have more interesting things to do than stand around and listen to me?" Some of the kids looked away and some fidgeted a little, but one boy spoke up. "We're here cause, well… you get it. What it's like to be hurt, to be alone. When you play, it's like… like you're saying all the stuff that we can't. It… makes it hurt a little less. You know?" Most of the kids nodded agreement. Arashi blinked. _'Well'_ he thought, _'that wasn't what I was expecting. Though… I'm not sure what I __**was **__expecting…'_ Arashi shook his head, sending now shoulder-length spiky red hair swinging. "Oh. Well, if it helps… Is there anything you guys want to hear?" As one little girl shyly raised her hand, he couldn't help but feel just a little depressed. _'Doesn't anyone care what they're doing to these kids?'_

**-Karas-**

_Strike-slideback-spinkick-reversepunch-upperblock-ridgehand-__**pause**_. The teenager stopped, tilting his head slightly as he tried to figure out what had nudged at his attention. And then he caught it – footsteps in the house. _'One, no… two people.'_ He thought._ 'Even steps, light footfalls, that pace… Reiji. Soft steps, lightly, closer together and limping on the…right foot.' _"Rei" he called out, "who is your friend?" "Not a friend." the other boy called back. Hearing the pair step out into the back yard, Karas turned to face them in a habit he had never been able to break, even though it was useless. He waited patiently for his younger friend to explain, and as always, Reiji didn't disappoint. "A sparring partner for Kiri. This is Yamanaka, Emi-chan. She's seven years old, has green eyes and blond hair just past her shoulders that I made her pull back in a ponytail." "Now," Karas assumed that Reiji turned and was talking to the girl now, since his voice suddenly faded a little. "You go get some water from the kitchen; it's the closest door to the front entrance. If you need the bathroom, it's the second door from the kitchen – the one between them is a closet. Okay?" Karas heard the girl's responding okay, her voice just as quiet and hesitant as her footsteps had been. He waited until he heard Reiji approach before he spoke. "Now that she's gone, what's going on? I heard her limping, and she seems like a very timid child. So why did you really bring her?" A rustle of fabric – Reiji must have shrugged. "You remember last year, that girl I told you about from the clinic?" Karas thought carefully. "The one who had her arm broken?" "That's the one. That's her. She's still got bruises; the whole left side of her face is black and blue. She's got a pulled muscle in her right leg, that's why she's limping. And two of her ribs are broken. So…" "So you want to teach her to fight back?" Karas smiled in affectionate exasperation. He didn't have to see to know that Reiji had a stubborn expression pasted on his face; he could hear it in the other's voice. "Well, why not? She needs a defense, Kiri needs a sparring partner – and it's not like either of us are strangers at teaching. We taught Midori and Kyo, we're teaching Kiri, and" Karas laughed. "Alright, calm down. I never said she couldn't come." Then he grew serious. "I don't approve of someone hitting children either. Little ones are supposed to be protected, they're not supposed to have to fight. So she can stay, and we'll do our best to make sure that she doesn't get beaten on anymore. Not that we've had a good track record…" As Karas trailed off, both boys were silent, each thinking of dark bruises under the grey eyes of a friend.


	13. 1 Year Ago part 2

**A/N:** This chapter flew by! I'm getting really excited now, there's only two or three more chapters left! _takes DEEP breath_ Hopefully I can pull off the next chapter the way I want... Anyway, thank you yet again goes out to **elvesdragon** for leaving me an encouraging review. Believe it or not people, I really am very insecure about this, so it makes me feel SO much better to know that it is liked. Or at least tolerable. Anyway, hope you'll all like this.

_This _is emphasis _'This'_ is thoughts _This_ (with an underline - stupid formatting) is for hand signals (you'll see). And I still don't own Naruto.

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**1 Year Ago**

**Part 2**

**-Shiroji-**

"Nng!" The boy uttered a strangled cry, snatching his hand back to cradle it against his chest. He sucked in a breath, willing the tears from his eyes as he reached for yet another roll of bandages. "Shira-kun, are you okay?" Mariko hurried to his side, pushing the bandages closer. She helped him wrap his bleeding hand securely, watching as he looked sadly at the little birds he was trying – and failing – to feed. Carefully reaching out for the chopsticks he had been using, he murmured softly to the two little birds. "Come on," he nearly cooed "you have to eat. I know I'm not your parents, but it's been three days. You're nearly big enough to start trying to fly, and you're still barely eating. Why…?" Shiroji paused, tilting his head slightly to the left. "I wonder…" He focused, reaching out to tap his chakra with a light touch his brother had taught him years ago. He faltered slightly, but forcefully shoved back the lump in his throat that those memories brought up. Reaching again for his chakra, he pulled up a thin tendril of energy and gently extended it towards the little fledglings. "Come on…" he murmured, "work…" He reached out his fingers again, slowly extending his hand. He held his breath, waiting… and the nearest fledgling gently butted its' head against his hand. The other didn't reach out to him, but it didn't bite him either. The blond's face lit up, once again biting back a cry, but this time one of happiness. "YES!" he hissed, as Mariko clasped her hands over her mouth. He grinned over at her. "Mari-chan, come over here."

As the younger girl stepped up to his side, he pulled back and quickly drilled her on the small chakra exercise. Then he stepped back and watched as she tried to feed the fledglings for the first time since they had first tried to bite Shiroji. He watched her carefully as she tried the exercise until it was close enough to right. Once she had it, he handed her the feeder and stepped back. He watched as she reached out to feed the fledglings. As she extended her chakra, 'his' little bird – actually about the size of a small terrier dog – calmly accepted the morsel from her hands. The little one that had barely accepted him, however, cuddled up against her hand. She flashed him a bright smile, giggling as she told him "It looks like this one likes me." He smiled back. "Looks like it. And the other one likes me. Now that they're not trying to bite off our fingers, this may work." She nodded eagerly. "So, if we can keep them, then can we name them now?" Shiroji laughed in sheer delight. "Sure, Mari. We can name them." The little girl looked thoughtfully at the little golden bird nuzzling against her. "This one's the girl, right? I think… I'll call her… Honey." Shiroji reached out again and stroked a finger against 'his' little one's side. "This one… he scratched me a few times. He's a little fighter. And I'm just no good with names, so… how about… Talon?" The two children shared happy grins, fondly watching their new friends.

**-Reiji-**

The eleven year old shook his head as he looked around in wry amusement. "Remind me again, _how _exactly did we end up teaching half of Konoha?" Karas only laughed. "It's not half of Konoha, Rei. It's only twenty-seven kids." Reiji sighed. "I know; it's just…" His friend put a hand on his shoulder, the older boy's voice dropping to a lower pitch as he once again repeated the thoughts that had been running through all four friend's minds for the last few months. "Word just spread, and the bullied and the abused started to show up for class. And every class has more kids just showing up, hanging around the edges and hoping that we don't send them away. All of them are very eager to learn and are working really hard. They're even working to help each other learn." Reiji looked around them, momentarily watching the children and even teenagers as they practiced with a focus and determination that almost matched the fire in three of their four teachers. He knew that a few of them were from Midori's bi-weekly suppers, but it hurt worse knowing that most of them weren't. That made two sets of children that no one helped, that no one protected. "They're nearly desperate Karas, and they all think we're some kind of heroes. We're not… we can't even protect ourselves. So how… What the hell kind of country is this?"

**-Kaene-**

'_That damn boy'_ the man thought angrily. _'He's doing it again. Got his nose in those books of his like he'll ever actually be anything. Little bastard…' _Kyoshiro was sitting in a tree, carefully studying a book. It was pure coincidence that Kaene had spotted the boy as he was returning from a walk. The man took another swig of his sake, feeling a familiar unfocussed anger well up inside of him. It helped him get through his missions, that anger giving him strength beyond what he should have been capable of, and yet that damn boy always managed to trigger it. Kaene snarled, storming over and barking the boy's name. The twelve year old instantly rolled to his right, coming off of the branch and landing on his feet, sliding back to land in a fighting stance. Kaene's temper doubled. "You… where the _hell _did you learn that stance?!" He advanced on the boy, reaching out to snatch the slender body up by his shirt. The boy tried to throw a quick swivel block, his free hand snapping out in an instinctive ridge hand towards Kaene's face. The Chunin easily blocked the weak attack, gritting his face as the boy in his grip turned pale. Kaene ground his teeth, his grip on the boy's shirt alternately loosening and tightening. For a moment the two just stared at each other, shock written on both of their faces. The boy twisted, breaking away and sliding back from his father. And Kaene's temper instantly became a frigid rage, his voice dropping into a low, intense tone that his son remembered all too well from once before. "_And where did you learn __**that?!**__ Where the __**hell **__did you learn to strike like that?! Like… like one of __**us?!**__ You little __**bastard!**__ You don't __**deserve**__ to know this shit! You're __**not **__one of us! You're not fast enough, not smart enough… You're not __**good**__ enough!"_ The man struck at his son, his anger growing as the boy continued to block or dodge his blows. He snarled viciously, his strikes becoming harder and faster, the occasional blow beginning to get through the boy's defenses. But… _'the little shit is __**still fighting!**__'_

Kaene lost track of exactly how long they fought, but they both were bleeding. The boy was limping heavily, stumbling as he backed away from the intensity of his father's attacks. The man's temper exploded, and his hands formed a series of quick movements. Kyoshiro's grey eyes widened in panic as he flung himself to the side, just barely in time to avoid the fire jutsu that came barreling towards him. And then it was Kaene's turn to jump as the boy retaliated with a quick water jutsu of his own. The furious Chunin unleashed a barrage of attacks, combining nin- and tai-jutsu in a deluge of killing rage. There was no way that the boy could counter. He screamed, body jerking as he was struck over and over again with blade, fist and fire. The man ignored his son's cries, just as he ignored the sound of bones snapping when he flung the boy against the ground. He stalked forward, ever so slowly; a hunter watching as his prey struggled pitifully to its' hands and knees. But those eyes… _'those damn eyes'_… dark grey, dulled with shock and shadowed with pain, but blazing with hatred and defiance. "I'm going to kill you" the man stated, calmly. No longer seeing his son, or even a boy, but an enemy. The boy curled in on himself, his face and hands hidden from view. Then he reached down, touched the base of a tree and looked up. He was a mess, his face bruised, bleeding and lightly burned. But he grinned, those damn eyes glinting with an almost feral intelligence. The boy launched himself out of the way as the Chunin moved in for the final blow, kunai in hand. Spinning around, Kaene was just in time to see the boy form a familiar seal. His eyes widened in shock as the shadow he stood in suddenly twisted around him, wrapping about his neck and tightening like a noose. _'How does he…?! Damn it, __**I'm**__ still learning that jutsu!'_ The boy grinned again, triumph in his eyes as both combatants realized that the battle was won. Those eyes rolled back as the youth collapsed, but he knew that he had finally beaten the monster of his childhood.

**-Toshio-**

His eyes narrowed as he sped through the trees. _'There' _he thought _'there's that chakra again.'_ He saw Akio's team change the angle of their approach as the man signaled his intentions to the other six ninjas traveling in the same direction. _We flank left._ Terse signals were returned. _Understood. Continuing._ He briefly noted three of the others split off; flanking the right to surround the threat as his own team forged straight in. His attention was refocused ahead when he heard a scream rip through the air. _'Shit, that's a kid's voice! Civilian or Academy?'_ Toshio's speed increased, all three teams rushing towards the apparent battle zone._ 'Two chakras. Academy, then. But still fighting against an adult. Damn it… just hang on kid. We're coming.'_ His mind registered the scene in snapshots even as he launched himself into it. _A clearing - a man standing, kunai drawn - a flash of motion - a bloody child hitting the ground._ Toshio hit the man before he had time to even turn, knocking the other to the ground using a shoulder slam with all of his weight and momentum behind it. Even as he struck, his hand flashed out to snap the other man's weapon hand backwards, breaking the wrist and disarming his opponent. The pair slid a little as they hit the ground, Toshio's impact absorbed by the man underneath him. He used the momentum of the slide to push against his opponent, taking advantage of the leverage so that when they stopped he was kneeling with one knee on the other's chest. One hand still gripped the now-broken weapon hand, and the other held a kunai tightly against his enemy's throat. Toshio snarled as he took in the Chunin vest, and worse still, the Konoha headband. One of their own. He didn't have to look to know that seven of the other Jounin were fanning out, searching quickly and efficiently for other enemies as the last, a medic on his own team, checked on the condition of the child. After the verbal signal for 'all clear' sounded, the other seven gathered in the battle field. With a curt tone, the medic-nin pronounced the boy "damn lucky. Beat to hell, but eventually he'll be okay." With his eyes still on his captive, he heard three of the others leave, assumedly to bring the child to the hospital. And he heard the disgust and anger in Akio's voice as the man snarled "What the _hell_ kind of bastard attacks a kid like this?!" Toshio stood fluidly, dragging the man to his feet by the vest as he answered. "I'm sure Ibiki-san will find out." The Chunin didn't struggle, turning pale as he looked into angry faces of six cold-eyed Jounin.

**-Kiri-**

Meanwhile, in a different area of the woods, a black haired little girl skipped happily behind her blonde friend as an older girl walked behind them. Murakami Kiri chattered brightly as she tagged along with her sparring partner and best friend – aside from her brother and her 'cousins' of course. "Where are we going, Emi-chan?" the four year old asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. Yamanaka Emi just smiled down at the younger girl. "You'll see, Kiri-chan. It's a surprise. But you'll like it, honest." The little one pouted for a moment, but quickly brightened again as they came into view of a clearing marked by small clusters of children. A red haired boy about her brother's age sat in the middle, and all of the children hushed as he held up one hand. When Kiri tried to ask another question, Shana, the thirteen year old following the pair, put a hand lightly on her shoulder. Kiri glanced up, but she followed the unspoken command to wait and see. She could tell that Shana wasn't sure what was going on either, but… her eyes widened as the boy began to play. He sang in a pure, strong voice to music that put tears in her eyes. The three girls sat entranced by the singer, until at last he stopped and released them all from his spell. Once she blinked a few times, Kiri looked all around her. _'They all looked so sad'_ she thought, _'but now they look like they feel better.'_ And that decided her. The little girl set her jaw, pulled away from her two friends and darted up to the musician. She caught his sleeve, tugging until he looked down at her. "Hi." he said, clearly a bit puzzled. "Um, can I help you?" Kiri nodded. "Uh-huh. You gotta come. You gotta meet my brother." The redhead blinked. "I do? Why?" The little one stopped tugging, looking up at the boy with wide, honest eyes. "Cause, you're like him. You make them feel better. You can help, and he can help, and… and…" Arashi hurried to calm the child before she broke into tears. "Okay, okay. I'll come." Kiri gave him a brilliant smile and practically dragged him away.

**-Tsunade-**

The big-bosomed blonde braced her elbows on her desk, linking her fingers as she studied the man standing before her. The head of Torture and Interrogation, he held her gaze evenly, no emotion showing on his scarred face. Finally she broke the silence, her voice strong and sure. "So essentially, we have one of our own ninjas assaulting a child, correct?" "Yes, Hokage-sama." Her eyes narrowed. "And did this man, this…" she flipped open the file on her desk. "Nara, Kaene… did he offer any reason for his actions?" Morino, Ibiki's lips twisted just slightly. He might as well have shouted his disgust. "He said, quote, 'the boy pissed me off.' He was half drunk." The Fifth glared down at the file as if it had personally insulted her. "So; he gets drunk, gets pissed and beats the hell out of a boy?" The man's voice didn't waver. "It seems so, Hokage-sama." She looked up then, meeting Ibiki's eyes as she delivered the damning report from the medic-nin at the hospital. "Ibiki, that child has scars nearly as old as he is. Those scars show signs of having been inflicted by the same person, and match with the pattern of these new wounds. I've looked over hospital records – that boy has been in and out of clinics all of his life, and nothing was ever done. No one ever suspected." Ibiki's voice was deceptively soft. "Your orders, Hokage-sama?" "Put him away. That man has proven that he cannot be trusted and is a danger to the people of Konoha. He cannot be allowed to continue this kind of behavior." The man before her simply bowed, turning away to go and complete his task. But Tsunade saw the slight tension in his shoulders that, in such a stoic person, implied a great anger indeed. No ninja liked a traitor, and that is exactly what the Chunin under discussion had just been revealed as.

**-Mariko-**

She shuffled down the street with a dazed expression on her face, not even noticing the odd looks she received. She stumbled up the steps to a tiny little apartment complex, pulled out her key ring on autopilot, and stepped into the third apartment on the right. Mariko closed the door carefully behind her and followed the sounds of rustling feathers and a low voice. Stepping into what was once a spare bedroom, she simply stood in the doorway, saying nothing when the blond boy's grin faded as he looked up at her. "Mari-chan, what's wrong?" A soft trill closely followed the boy's voice, and then with a ruffle of feathers, a large golden blur streaked towards the girl. Mariko shifted her backpack onto her left shoulder out of habit, just before Honey landed on said pack – and dug sharp talons into the material. The bird was finally flying, and had bonded closely to its chosen human. As Honey buried her soft head under the little girl's chin, Mariko finally managed to find the words she needed. "Shira-kun… She's dead." Her friend just blinked at her, so she dragged out a few more words. "My mom… they just told me. An enemy got her. She's dead." The two children stared at one another for a long moment, one in shock and the other in awkwardness, before Mariko's blank expression finally gave the older boy something to judge her feelings by. And that 'something' was the slow forming of the biggest, brightest smile he had ever seen on her face. "She's dead, Shira. I don't have to be scared anymore!" And the girl giggled as her friend developed a smile to almost match hers.

**-Hideo-**

He glanced behind himself in confusion when his partner stopped and stared. He twisted to get a better look, and the confusion dropped away to be replaced by a mix of anger and sadness. "Kyo-san's home" he murmured. He watched solemnly as two of his teachers helped the third into the house, Midori-san helping the wounded boy walk as Reiji-san carried his bag. Karas-san stepped away from the little ones he had been teaching to step up and confer quietly with his three 'brothers'. After a short time, the 'trainee' children slipped up one by one to welcome their wounded teacher back and wish him well. Hideo hesitated before them; the nine year old's eyes welling with helpless tears. "I…" he choked, before blurting out a desperate cry. "I _hate _this! This city's killing us all! I wish…" his voice dropped into a hopeless whisper. "I wish we could just get out…" As the little boy ducked his head and ran, he failed to notice the suddenly sharpened gaze of a red headed boy, or the speculation on his teachers' faces.


	14. Countdown part 1

**A/N:** And thank you yet again to **Veve** and **elvesdragon** for reviewing the last chapter of this. It makes my day to hear your encouragement. I'm going to switch styles for the next two chapters, doing one or two brief scenes per 'month'. I'm guessing you all know where this is going by now. Only three or four more chapters, guys. I hope you enjoy. R&R please.

And I still don't own Naruto.

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**Kiri – 11 months ago**

"Mmhm, I see. You think that would really work?" Asked one voice. "Well, we'd need to alter it a little – remember, we're dealing with the inexperienced. But…" A third voice interrupted. "We could make it work." Kiri idly kicked her feet, her chin resting on her folded arms as she listened to her brother and her uncles as they got into yet another intent discussion.

**Chizuru – 10 months ago**

"Hey, Kyo. What about this? Do you think that one would apply?" The boy pulled the book closer to himself and carefully studied the paragraph Midori had pointed out. "Hm, it might… Let's flag it." The brunet nodded, adding a sticky note to the page and jotting down the paragraph number. The pair then bent their heads back over their respective books, dropping back into silence until the black-haired boy with the cast on his leg called the brunet's attention to his own book. Chizuru smiled to herself, quietly replacing the book in her hands on its shelf. She was careful not to disturb the pair as they studiously jotted down notes and quietly discussed points. Working at the Konoha Public Library, she was more accustomed to children being too rowdy and needing to be quieted over and over again. But these two boys, while intense, were tucked back at a corner table and were being unusually respectful of the quiet atmosphere. _'It's nice to see children so involved in their books'_ the librarian thought. _'Especially books that are apparently for school. Though I wonder, who would assign children to research Konohan law?'_

**Midori – 9 months ago**

"Alright" the brunet declared. "Everything looks good to me. We've got everything filled out, so… all we have to do now is submit it." A skeptical Reiji spoke up. "And you don't think that they'll find this odd?" Midori gave a rare smirk. "No, Rei-kun, they won't. One of my guardians used to take me to the office some days when he couldn't find a babysitter. I remember asking him, and he told me that desk workers first look at the envelope. If it's not from someone from a ninja clan, an _important_ civilian or a business, then they pretty much just toss it in the in-box and look at it when they get around to it. And that could take anywhere from three to seven months _normally_." Kyo smirked right along with him. "And with what we've started, it's going to take a _lot_ longer than that."

**-Fuuya-**

"Someone, please… kill me now!" Fuuya groaned. His partner, Yuugo looked over at him, face paling. "Oh _please_, Fuu, tell me that's _not_ what I think it is?!" The older man only hung his head. "I wish I could. I _really_ wish I could." The pair looked at the stack of forms with dread. "More? …Okay, I _know_ that Konoha has forms for reporting damage to buildings from accidents or Academy trainees." Yuugo complained. "And I _know_ that there are forms for noise level complaints, and forms for damaged goods dropped because ninjas popped up or ran into someone, and forms for just about anything that reckless ninjas do, but…" "But since when does anyone actually _use_ them?" his partner finished mournfully. "Good God, Yuug. In the last two months, we've had so many that we've had to open up a new storage room just to hold them all! We haven't gotten through the stuff we had from five months ago, and now all this just _keeps_ pouring in!" Fuuya might have worked himself into a full rant, but at just that moment the bell jingled, signaling that someone had just opened the door. A little boy of about seven years old peeked hesitantly around the corner. "Um, excuse me" the child called. "Is this the Claims and Reports office?" Yuugo gave the boy a warm, if tired smile. "Yes, it is. What can we help you with, son?" The boy smiled shyly, stepping up and putting a stack of paper on the counter. "Um, I'm supposed to give you this." The clerks were too busy staring in despair at _yet __**another**_ complaint form to notice the satisfied grin on the child's face as he nearly skipped out of the office.

**Genma – 8 months ago**

He was SO bored. Just because of a few broken ribs, he was stuck with mission room and gatekeeper duties. Today was gate keeping day, so he dutifully watched the crowds of people going in and out of Konoha for anyone who seemed suspicious. So far, there had been no one. Absolutely _nothing _interesting had happened all week, and Shiranui Genma was bored out of his mind. This was _not _how he wanted to spend a Saturday. He idly glanced up as laughter and cheery calls of "watch out, coming through!" echoed through the crowd. Just before Genma decided to stand up, the crowd parted to reveal a group of young boys, probably between eight and twelve years old, toting lumber and pails of various construction supplies. His lips twitched as the five boys headed towards his gate, still calling out warnings and apologies as they came. He stood, stepping out from behind his booth to stand in the boy's path. "And where are you guys going?" he asked lightly. "Off to build…?" "It's a secret!" one child chirped. "A place just for us." another said. Genma really did smile now. "A clubhouse, huh?" The Jounin laughed out loud. "I remember making those. Alright, boys. Just be back by dark, okay?" He stepped aside, shaking his head in fond recollection as the boys maneuvered themselves out of the gate. A few hours later, he sighed and waved on yet another small group of children, this group being little girls carrying a picnic basket. _'Damn,' _he thought idly. _'What is __**with**__ all of the kids going out today?'_

**Noriko – 7 months ago**

She smiled as she watched her son look carefully through the shop windows. _'It's really been too long since I was home last'_ Noriko thought sadly. _'He's grown so much.' _It had been nearly two months since she had been gone, and her little boy was even bigger than when she had left. As always, the day after she had returned she took the nine year old shopping and bought him something that he wanted. _'Akihito has always been so easily pleased.'_ When her little boy stepped up to her, a serious expression on his face and his left foot kicking at the ground, she felt a brief flicker of unease. "What's wrong, Aki?" she questioned. "Mother," he replied "can I…" She tilted her head slightly, nodding for him to continue. "There isn't anything here I want. May I have the money that we would have spent instead?" She blinked, at a loss for words for one of the few times since her Chunin exam. "Well, okay… um, I guess." As her son gave her a strangely reserved smile, she felt that unease flicker again. But this was her son, so she shrugged it off. _'Maybe… he's grown up more than I thought…?'_

**Karas**

A quick knock on the door, and he called out for another to enter. Small, quick footsteps echoed as a small person nearly bounced down the hall. "Karas-san!" a young voice called. "In here" he called back, recognizing the voice. The teenager could practically _feel _Akihito beam at him. "Guess what, Karas-san?" "What?" he murmured, smiling indulgently. "My mother came back yesterday, and when she took me shopping this morning I convinced her to just give me money instead of buying me something. So here." Karas heard the boy put something down on the table. "I brought everything she gave me. It'll help, right?" Karas grinned at the boy. "Yes, Aki-kun. Everything we collect will help. It was very smart of you to think of that." The two boys shared a conspiratorial grin as Karas gathered up, counted, and put the money in a drawer in the storeroom. Adding to a surprisingly large store of cash and other things.

**Shiroji – 6 months ago**

As the golden bird circled back around, the trees spun in a dizzying spiral. With the sudden blur of color, a ring of black edged in and a blond boy dropped to his knees. A low, sharp whistle split the air, and a moment later a piercing shriek echoed it. Shiroji stood, a little shaky but with a bright grin. A low, sharp whistle split the air, and a moment later a piercing shriek echoed it. As the boy held up an arm, encased in a thick leather glove nearly to the shoulder, a bright golden mass dropped out of the sky at a near blinding speed. Shiroji settled himself, feet braced wide as with a snap of wings, Talon pulled out of his dive and landed heavily on his arm. The boy grunted, his knees nearly buckling under the sudden weight. Shiroji opened his eyes, wincing slightly at the headache suddenly pounding behind those eyes. But his grin never faltered. He looked into the golden eyes of his partner for an instant before Talon buried his head under the blond's chin. The boy murmured softly to the bird. "You're not like my clan's bugs, but a lot of the same jutsu work. I can't believe that it lets me see through your eyes. I'm _so _glad brother wanted me to be prepared... at least, back when he still liked me."

**Atsuko**

The ten year old glanced up, stilling as she listened closely. The sound came again, a muffled thud and a choked gasp. Atsuko pushed herself off of the bench, drawing a deep breath as she forged on ahead. Coming around a street corner, her eyes narrowed as she found exactly what she was expecting. An older girl pushing a younger one around. The bullied girl looked to be about a year younger than Atsuko, with curly brown hair and a small, pale face. The older girl looked about twelve, with the face paint that meant she had been picked out by one of the nin-dog puppies that the clan raised. Atsuko stepped up and quietly asked the girl to stop. The bully smirked at the smaller girl. "And just what are you going to do about it if I don't?" Atsuko just set her jaw, and once again asked politely for the girl to walk away. The little girl, in the meantime, was simply staring at the older two. The bully smirked, reaching out to take a two-handed grip on Atsuko's shirt, lifting the girl to her tiptoes. "I'm warning you" Atsuko nearly growled. The older girl let go with one hand, drawing the other back to throw a punch. Before the bully's hand was pulled even halfway back, Atsuko's hand snapped out, one palm striking the older girl's breastbone and sliding up to catch under the older girl's chin. Hooking fingers into the hollows behind the angle of the other's jaw, she pushed up and in, causing the older girl to choke on her breath. As the other's hands dropped, Atsuko leaned in to snarl in her face. "I said, just go away." The older girl's eyes widened, her face paling as she looked into the fierce green eyes of the younger girl. When Atsuko let go, the older girl stumbled over her own feet as she bolted.

Atsuko turned back to the little girl, smiling at the little one. "Hi, I'm Atsuko. Are you okay?" The brunette nodded, eyes wide in awe as she answered. "I'm Mariko. And yes, I'm okay." The two girls simply stood for a few minutes, the oldest of the pair beginning to feel awkward as the younger stared at her. "Um, is there something else you wanted to say?" she questioned. The younger one bit her lip, fingers nervously twisting in her shirt before she finally blurted it out. "That was awesome! How… what was that? It doesn't look like something the clan teaches – we use punches, not… whatever that was." Atsuko grinned, her eyes lighting up as she got an excuse to talk about her favorite subject. "I didn't learn it from the clan. They're not real willing to teach me anything." Mariko just looked confused. "Then, where…?" Atsuko grinned. "Would you like me to show you?"


	15. Countdown part 2

**A/N: **Okay, everyone. Short chapter, but don't lynch me yet. The next one is LONG for me, and I'm starting on it just as soon as I post this one. We're almost done! And thanks go out yet again to **elvesdragon**. By the way, I need a couple of Jounin and one or two Chunin for the next chapter. Anyone specific anyone wants to see? If not, I'll just pick random ninjas.

R & R please. Or not. At this point I'm just excited to be so close to finished.

I still don't own Naruto, unfortunately for me. (Fortunately for everyone else, though.)

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**Hinata – 5 months ago**

She sat quietly, the wind occasionally stirring her hair as she watched from her rooftop perch. Hearing footsteps behind her, Hyuuga Hinata didn't bother to turn around – she knew that tread, so she didn't startle when the blond teenager – young man, really, at eighteen – dropped down beside her. "Hey, Hinata. What'cha doing?" "Watching" she replied. Naruto snorted, propping himself up on his elbows. "I can see that. _What_ are you watching and_ why_?" Hinata simply continued to watch the streets below. When she finally spoke, her voice was hesitant as she tried to put the subtle feeling into words. "It… Naruto-kun, have you noticed something… odd?" From the corner of her eye, she watched him raise an eyebrow in amusement. "Um, let's see… I saw Lee and Gai Sensei doing that sunset-tear thing down on Cherry Street, spotted that weird guy who keeps a weapon in his mouth down on 8th Ave, the Perverted Hermit was headed towards the bath house –" "That's not what I meant Naruto-kun." she interrupted. "That's normal for Konoha." Blue eyes met for a second before he shrugged. "Well, beyond the normal oddballs… no, not really. Why, have you?" When Hinata fidgeted a little, the boy sat up. "Okay, Hinata. Spill. What have you noticed?" The young woman looked out over the streets, hesitated, and then pointed. Naruto followed her finger, his brow furrowing when all he saw was a group of kids talking together. "The kids?" She nodded. "I… don't get it, Hinata. What's so odd about kids talking?" Hinata took a deep breath before trying to explain. "Well, it's the _way_ they're talking. They're very intent, and they keep stopping whenever someone else comes near them. And this isn't the first time – I've seen them every day for the last three days. I… It doesn't feel right, Naruto-kun." Her long-time friend looked at her as if _she_ was a little odd. "Hinata, they're probably plotting some kind of prank or something. I know that was how I acted when I used to try and pull something over on the adults." She made a vague noise, and he shook his head. But he watched the children with her anyway.

**Reiji – 4 months ago**

The twelve year old watched critically as the little girl carefully formed a series of hand seals, and then gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder as she got it almost right. "That's good" he told her. "You're getting much better. You've almost got it now." The girl beamed a smile, flushing a little at his praise before applying herself even harder to her work. Reiji stepped away, walking slowly through the room as he checked up on the progress of each child in his assigned group. When he was satisfied that they were all doing well, he stepped out of the room and into the hallway. After a moment, Kyoshiro stepped out of another room to join him. "So," the teen asked, "your group is doing well?" Reiji nodded briefly. "Very. Most of them have the basic concept, now they're just working on getting faster." Kyo nodded his agreement. "Mine too. These kids are really excited, and they're working really hard. I think… I really think that this will work." The two boys shared a grim smile, and then split up again as a small voice called out for Reiji to come and see what he was doing wrong.

**Arashi – 3 months ago**

"Are you sure?" Kenji asked him again. The redhead gave him a bright smile as he replied. "Yeah, we're sure. Can you get it?" The merchant sighed. "Yeah, kid. We can get it for you. Do I want to know what you're going to _do_ with it once I do?" Arashi shook his head. "Nope. Trust me Kenji; you don't want anything to do with this. It's not illegal or anything, but you still don't want to be involved." The man sighed again, but he slid the twelve year old's money into his pocket. "Alright, kid. As long as you're sure. It should take about two to three months to get exactly what you need and get it back to you." Arashi hugged his old friend on impulse. "Thanks, Kenji. You're the best!" That evening, the redhead wore a smug grin as he told his 'brothers' that he had arranged to get one of the last things they needed.

**2 months ago**

'_Careful' _he thought._ 'Careful and quiet. That's what we have to be.'_ He slipped quietly through the woods, barely making a sound as he approached his target zone. A brief gesture sent two teammates fanning out to either side of him as the third lagged slightly behind, watching their trail. The whole team moved quickly, lightly, barely making a sound. As they got closer to their target, their speed dropped, now moving cautiously, carefully. It wasn't enough to save them. He heard a low whistling sound, followed almost instantly by a muffled curse to his left. But he didn't have time to check on his teammate. The air was suddenly filled with small, flying objects, and every time he tried to dodge them he ended up tripping another trap. He made a good attempt, his quick graceful movements looking almost like a dance as he tried to progress despite the traps. But it was only a short time before he felt the sting of an impact, and a dark, wet stain blossomed on his jacket.

A few hours later, one of the two Chunin on gate duty that day nudged the other. Both ninjas raised brows as the ragged group approached the gate. "Do we want to ask?" one asked his partner. The other one looked carefully at the group of boys, taking in their flushed faces and cheerful expressions, their excited chatter and the blue and green and purple splotches all over their clothes. "No," he decided. "I don't think we do."


	16. Panic: 1 month ago

**A/N:** Remember, now - if you kill me, then you'll never know how it ends. Thank yous go out again to **Veve, elvesdragon**, and a new reader **WindCompass13**. This actually isn't as long as I thought it was going to be, but then I locked my laptop and my car keys IN my car - and still haven't gotten them out. But this was bugging me so much that I retyped it on someone else's computer. So if it sucks, that's why.

_Italics_ or **bold** is for emphasis, _'Italics in marks'_ is for thoughts, _'underlined italics in marks'_ is for memories, and **'bold in marks'** is for verbal or visual signals (again, you'll see).

Once again, I own nothing.

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**Aoba**

'_Something isn't right' _he thought. _'Nothing seems out of place, but…'_ His usually light steps lightened even more as he walked down the familiar streets, tension beginning to settle along his shoulders. He was going into the civilian sector to buy groceries, but the atmosphere was triggering his alarms. As thoughtless as he could occasionally be, even Yamashiro Aoba knew something was _wrong_. All over the streets, sharp gazes met as the more experienced ninjas looked to each other with questions in their eyes that they dared not speak aloud. As he turned into the civilian sector, one of his fellow Jounin fell into step beside him and slung an arm across his shoulders. "Say nothing, Yamashiro." the man murmured around the senbon in his mouth. "I know that, Shiranui-san" he replied. The other man leaned closer, the conspiratorial grin on his face at odds with the seriousness of his voice. "Sorry, but you have been known to blurt things out without paying attention to who is present." Aoba blushed. He never had been able to live down telling Uchiha Sasuke that his brother had been spotted, even after all these years. He forced it down, though. There were more important things to focus on at the moment. He smiled back at the other Jounin, but his eyes were serious as he spoke. "So, Shiranui-san, what have I missed?" The senbon user simply shook his head. "I don't know. We all agree that _something_ isn't right, but no one can place what exactly it is." A short ways later, Genma pulled his arm back to his side with the clear intention of leaving. At least, that _was_ his intention, until they were literally bumped into by an extremely distracted Chunin. "Sorry" the Chunin mumbled, chewing lightly on his lower lip as his eyes carefully searched the streets. Aoba placed the man after a moments thought. "It's fine. But Umino-san, you need to chill. It's okay." The Academy instructor pulled his attention back to the men walking away from him. "Okay?" he questioned, obviously confused. "How can it be okay? Haven't you noticed?" Both Jounins snapped around, voices sharpening as they spoke as one. "Noticed _what?!_"

**Genma**

Shiranui Genma raced down the streets with two other ninjas right on his heels. He slid to a stop, startling the Chunin pair at the Western gate as he slammed both palms down on their booth. "I need to see your log book" he told them. "NOW!" he barked when they hesitated. One of the pair pulled it out, and he snatched it from the girl's hands. Opening it to the most recent page, he ran his finger along the writing as he worked backwards, flipping pages when necessary. "Let's see… Sunday: a few merchants, a bunch of families, some ninjas… nothing. Saturday: more merchants, some businessmen, lots of ninjas… still nothing. Friday: lots of merchants, more ninjas… _Shit! __**No!**_" He spun, shoving the book into the hands of the scarred Chunin behind him. "Go!" He didn't have to elaborate; the man had nearly talked himself into alerting the Hokage when they had run into each other. He turned back to the pair, barking orders at each of them. "You – alert the other gates! You – once we're out, lock it down!" With those words, both Jounin bolted out of the gate, leaving two very bewildered Chunins behind. _'Please'_ Genma thought, silently praying to every power he could think of as a cold fear settled into his gut. _'Please let us be over-reacting, let this be nothing. Please… let them be safe.'_ But he couldn't forget the teacher's words. _"How can it be okay?" the man had asked them. "Haven't you noticed?…Where are the children?" _

**Kakashi**

He waited patiently, utterly still on his perch. His one visible eye watched closely, every sense alert for the slightest motion in the woods across from the wall. When the air had been wrong, the most experienced ninjas had watched carefully. When three of their comrades had bolted at full speed down the streets, most Jounins armed themselves for a mission, fully prepared to go into battle. When the gates of Konoha closed, all but the Genins and the newest of Chunins had spread out, passing the word and taking up positions throughout the city. Just in case. And the Copy Ninja just so happened to be lucky enough to have been near the Western Gate, so Kakashi took up his vigil on the outer wall. He tensed, leaning forward slightly at a hint of motion. He stood as a verbal signal split the evening air. **'Allies incoming; prepare to receive.'** The gates cracked open just enough to allow two men to race through the opening, and they closed instantly behind the pair. As Kakashi jumped down to the street, one of the two ninjas stopped. The other never hesitated as he raced towards the center of town. The stopped Jounin – _'Yamashiro Aoba' _his mind supplied – gave a terse report. "A lot of people, mostly children, walked out Friday afternoon and haven't been recorded as coming back in. We found tracks in the woods indicating that a number of people got – or were put – into wagons. Shiranui's gone to update the Hokage." As the other Jounin caught his breath, Kakashi returned to his self-appointed post. _'There are only two ways to take a large number of people.'_ he thought. _'Either with a mass-effect genjutsu – which we should have felt – or with a lot of ninjas to threaten them into behaving. Either way…'_ The Sharingan user split his attention between the forest beyond the wall, and the sky above him. _'Either way, we need to be organized about this. No chasing right now – we have to wait for orders.'_

**Shizune**

"Okay, I can do this." the woman told herself, hurriedly organizing reports and jotting down notes. She bustled into a room, laying her findings down before a blonde woman who was nearly buried behind a stack of papers that she was actually looking at for a change. Not that Shizune had the leisure to appreciate that fact. "Hokage-sama," she called. "Here's the list off all Jounin and Chunin ninjas currently in the city." She patted another stack. "This is a list of all such ninja who can be recalled quickly and easily without jeopardizing vital missions. These" and a third stack received a pat. "are lists of Genin teams currently inside the city." The blonde snatched the reports, glancing over at them for a moment. The Hokage drummed her fingers on her desk, an intent expression on her face as she thought. "Alright" Tsunade declared. "Shizune, Shiranui" – a Jounin that Shizune had not noticed when she came in stepped forward – "this is what I need each of you to do…"

**Kotetsu**

He silently cursed the quickly fading light as he sped through the trees. Hagane Kotetsu flicked his eyes periodically between the wagon tracks on the ground, the trees around him and the partner off to his left. He knew that there were other Jounin in the woods; hell, there were more Jounin gathered for this mission than for anything since the damn war! But he also knew that the tracks had been of multiple wagons, and had split up to take their own path. Not to mention the fact that they could have up to a two days' head start on the Konoha ninjas. His attention was pulled back to the situation at hand when he noticed his partner, Izumo, pull ahead slightly – and fall. Kotetsu stopped so fast that he hit his knees, cursing aloud as he summoned his weapon. He flicked out the chain spear, wrapping it carefully around his partner even as the branch the man tried to catch himself on turned out to be an illusion. Once he pulled his partner back to safety, Izumo formed a quick hand seal, and the tree he had fallen through 'moved' approximately six inches to the right. "Genjutsu!" Kotetsu snarled. The pair shared a grim glance, and Izumo sent up a yellow flare. **'Traps detected; proceed with caution.'**

**Iruka**

He looked into the room he was about to enter, taking in all of the young faces gathered there. Every Genin currently in Konoha was gathered into the Academy auditorium, fidgeting and whispering nervously. Iruka took one deep breath, and stepped into the room. Every voice fell silent as the Chunin instructor made his way to the podium, placing a stack of papers at the front of the stage and posting a map of Konoha on the wall. Once he placed red pins in their appropriate positions, he turned to face the children. "Alright, Genin!" he called, and every eye in the room focused on him. "Your Jounin instructors have been called out on missions, but you are also Konoha ninjas, so in this crisis you have your own missions. When I call your team, I want one member to step to the front and take a sheet of paper. That will be your assigned area. These red pins" he indicated behind him "show the posts of the Chunins you will be working with. We need you to clear your assigned streets. Tell the civilians that they need to go home and _stay there_! Impress on them that it is critical that they remain in their homes until told otherwise. Once your streets are cleared, I want one member of your team to report to the nearest Chunin. After every street in Konoha is empty, we will send up a signal. The signal will be a two-one-two series of blasts over the warning horns. Once that signal sounds, the civilians need to check their families. Tell them that if anyone is missing, they are to _stay indoors_! They should write the names, descriptions and last known whereabouts of that person on a sheet of paper and tape it to the outside of their front doors. A picture would be great. They also need to tell you if they know of anyone, child or adult, who may be home alone. If they do, you will need to check on that person. After the first signal, there will be a ten minute delay before it will repeat again. Once the second signal sounds, it is your job to go through your streets and pick up any missing person reports and turn them in to your assigned Chunin. Are there any questions?" Once he answered the very few questions and handed out the street assignments, Iruka took his place at his own assigned post and waited for the missing to be reported.

**Anko**

She pushed herself nearly to the limit, barely allowing her partner to keep up with her. Mitarashi Anko _was __**not **_happy. Spotting the yellow flare, she cursed viciously under her breath, but slowed her pace. Her partner, Tatami Iwashi, flashed her a small, grateful smile. She glared at him. They traveled more cautiously, but still quickly as they followed the wagon tracks they had elected to pursue. The pair paused, Anko dropping to one knee to try and judge how recently the tracks had been made. Shaking her head, she stood and gestured to Iwashi to move out. After only a few steps, however, she turned back. _'Why is the idiot still standing there?!'_ she thought, stalking over to give the other Jounin a tongue lashing. And then she saw the warning in his eyes. Even so, she was almost too late. "Son of a _bitch_!" she bit out, sliding back as the shadows her partner stood in reached out for her.

**Sakura**

She worked quickly, checking dates on packages and sorting supplies into either the appropriate bin, or the trash if outdated. Sakura barely paid any attention to the medic-nin rushing around her, really only keeping her ears open for the change in tone that would indicate an emergency. She didn't notice when the main doors of the hospital opened. She did, however, notice when all activity stopped. She looked up then, her eyes quickly focusing on a familiar blonde split ponytail. She straightened up, waiting worriedly as her Hokage looked around making sure that every medic-nin and volunteer were paying attention before she spoke. She only had to wait a few seconds. The chief medic stepped up, but she spoke before he could ask the question that was on everyone's mind. "We're certain; this is a hostile situation. Prepare for mass casualties." As the Hokage turned to leave, the chief spoke. "Hokage-sama, do we have an estimate?" Their leader took a deep breath, not turning as she answered. "Thus far, we have twenty-eight missing; all of them children under the age of fifteen." Sakura gasped along with half of the room, watching numbly as every face turned pale, eyes widening and medics standing utterly still for a heartbeat. It took the Hokage's barked "Well, don't just stand there like idiots!" to snap everyone back into action. As their leader walked out, the hospital erupted into an organized frenzy.

**Shibi**

They paused in the trees above the riverbank, the other Jounin glancing back at him. "I can't find the tracks anymore." Shibi held up one hand, watching calmly as some of his insects disappeared into the darkness. They were one of the few teams following the tracks of individuals rather than wagons. And the trail had just vanished. He watched silently as the younger Jounin fidgeted, but he did not scold the man as he normally would have. He understood perfectly. For the first time in years, Aburame Shibi found himself fighting the urge to hurry, to not stand and wait. _'I know you want to rush'_ he thought in sympathy, unable to forget the message that Shino had sent him. _'So do I. My youngest is one of those missing children.'_ Motion at the edge of the river drew his gaze. Both Jounin tensed, but Shibi held up one hand again as a few of his insects returned to him, bringing with them the identity of the two ninjas stepping out of the woods. "Allies." he murmured. The new pair hailed them, identities further verified by the enormous nin-dog that walked ahead of the two, its nose firmly to the ground. As Shibi and his partner came down from their branches to meet the other team, the wolf-like dog whined softly. The Inuzuka woman cursed. Shibi raised one eyebrow, and the woman nearly spit out an explanation. "Inuzuka, Tsume" she offered. "And these bastards found a way to keep Kuromaru from tracking them by scent." As the feral woman spoke, the rest of Shibi's insects returned, causing a deep frown to cross his face. "What is it, Aburame?" Tsume asked him. He looked up at the tracking specialist, seeing his frown echoed more sharply. "Your Kuromaru is not the only one who cannot trace this enemy. My insects cannot track their chakra." The woman cursed again.

**Raido**

He surveyed the area critically, looking closely for any sign of the traps that one team's flare had warned them of. Seeing none, he gestured for his partner to come closer. The pair carefully approached one of the many wide streams running through Konoha, and Namiashi Raido's partner spoke with irritation. "Of course. Did they really think that we wouldn't be able to tell that they went into the water when their tracks disappeared?" Raido nodded briefly. "Water is good for covering tracks, especially running water. Still, let's see if we can find where they get out." With his partner's agreement, the two Jounin moved cautiously into the water. Approximately ¼ of a mile upstream, something tickled at the back of his mind. After another few feet, he heard his partner curse abruptly. Raido instinctively moved back, going into full evasive maneuvers as the water around them came alive with chakra strings.

**Tsunade**

The Kage of any hidden village is supposed to be the strongest and the wisest. He – or, in this case, she – is supposed to be the ambassador for the village, the mediator that people bring their troubles to, the authority that presides over those who do wrong, and most importantly, the leader that everyone looks to when something goes wrong. She is supposed to give orders, to soothe disputes, to make major decisions. She is _not_ supposed to stare in shock at mere sheets of paper, or tremble as she reminds herself to breathe. But those things that the Hokage is _not _supposed to do are exactly what Tsunade _was_ doing. Blank brown eyes looked up when a tentative voice spoke from across the desk. "Hokage-sama… Hokage-sama. Tsunade-sama!" The eyes refocused, taking in the sight of Shizune looking at her with a worried expression.

"Have you read this, Shizune?" Tsunade asked, her voice unusually small. She didn't wait for the other woman to answer. "So far, there are fifty-nine missing children. _Children_, Shizune, all under fifteen. And we haven't gotten all the sector's reports in yet." The blonde began randomly pulling papers out of the piles around her, reading off names and ages as she did so. "Kato Hideo, age ten. Mochizuki Shana, age fourteen. Kinjo Michio and Madoka. Ages seven and two. Yamanaka Emi, age eight. Fujiwara Akihito, age ten. Hamada Arashi, age twelve. Ito Suzume, Isamu and Sayuri. Ages ten, seven and three, respectively. Inuzuka Atsuko, age eleven. Maruyama Akemi, age six. Murakami Reiji and Kiri, ages twelve and five." As Tsunade took a breath to continue, Shizune quickly interrupted. "Alright, alright. I… I understand. But Tsunade-sama, this isn't over. We'll get them back!" Tsunade – famous medic-nin, member of the Sannin and Hokage of Konoha – looked at her assistant with an unfathomable look in her eyes. "Will we, Shizune? Somehow… I don't think we will." Something in those brown eyes, in that voice, sent a chill down the younger woman's spine.


	17. Panic: part 2

**A/N:** Okay, last official chapter. Sorry if that disappoints anyone, but I just can't think of what to do with the adults beyond this frantic search. I'm considering doing a story to follow the kids beyond this, would anyone be interested in reading it? Anyway, I've got the epilogue mostly written out, so expect it... probably tomorrow. And yes, you will see the kids in it. XD

The paragraph like_ /This/_ means a memory. And these / separate scenes within that memory. S.O.P means Standard Operating Procedure, if anyone didn't know.

Last but not least, thanks yet again to **elvesdragon** for being so enthusiastic about this story. R and R, please, and enjoy the chapter.

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**Anzu**

She tried to still her hands – it wasn't good to tremble when you were trying to soothe messenger hawks. Her birds were agitated, upset by the tension and controlled chaos surging through Konoha. Anzu shot a look towards one of the other falconers, a man standing near the window of the mews. Her shoulders sagged slightly when the man shook his head. Still nothing. No messages to be sent, no more signals from the Jounin in the field… _'God, this is agony.'_ she thought. And then she caught her breath, listening carefully. Yes, those _were_ footsteps she heard. A moment later a young voice called from outside the door. "Falconer-san, the Hokage wants a message sent." Anzu moved quickly, slipping into the chamber outside the mews to take the package from the young Chunin drafted to run messages. Flipping open the envelope as she stepped back into the mews, she scanned the address and code. _'Okay,'_ she thought, all business now. _'It goes to the Hidden Sand, top priority. Our fastest bird, then.'_

**Gai**

The pair rushed, pushing themselves as far as they dared as they plunged headlong through the trees. So many children's lives rested on this mission, and for once, Maito Gai was silent. The Green Beast moved quickly, setting a pace that his younger partner could barely keep up with. Neji kept glancing over at his former instructor, the remnants of surprise still etched onto his usually stoic face. The Jounin pair knew that they were farther along than most of their comrades – they could barely hear the signals occasionally echoing behind them. Gai spared the young Hyuuga a swift glance, watching the rise and fall of his partner's chest. After all, Neji would never admit if Gai was asking too much of him, especially in these circumstances. And it wouldn't do to catch up to an unknown enemy with his partner too exhausted to fight. _'There will already be too many precious youth to protect.'_ he thought, unusually serious. _'The last thing I need to do is force my student to become one of them.'_ And then… a step, a slight tingle of chakra activated. The boy cried a warning, his Byakugon giving him a scant heartbeat's worth of notice as small, dark shapes were hurled at the two Konoha ninjas. Both ninja immediately sprang apart, intent on dodging the multitude of strange projectiles coming at them from all sides. Gai's instincts kicked in, moving him to shout a warning to the less experienced of the pair. "Neji, don't forget – watch for secondary traps!" He barely saw the boy's assent, too focused on not getting hit. The weapons were strange; small globes the size of marbles. His mind noted with slight worry that the globes sprayed a thick liquid-like substance when they connected with the trees. _'Damn it, poison?'_ His eyes were attracted again to his student by swirl of blue light, dust flying into the air – Neji had activated his ultimate defense. That instant of distraction cost him. A mild sense of impact, wetness on his sleeve… _'No pain… nerve damage?'_ Even as he dodged more of the strange projectiles, he lifted one hand to inspect the damage to his arm. And then he stopped. He stared down at his fingers, not noticing the multitude of splats as more projectiles burst against his body. He barely heard his young partner shout "Sensei!" He paid little attention to the hands that snatched his arm, or the bark against his back as Neji shoved him behind a particularly large tree. "Sensei, what… how bad is it?" the young man asked, a rare concern tinting his voice. "Neji-kun, I think this is…" Both ninja stared at the thick substance coating the older Jounin's fingers. They spoke as one, mild shock and major confusion sounding in their voices. "_Paint_?!"

**Kankuro**

Ice blue eyes flicked up towards the door. His companion glanced up, attention drawn away from the reports on the desk by his Kazekage's sudden lack of attention. "Gaara? What is it?" Kankuro laid one hand hesitantly on the Kazekage's arm. While he wasn't _afraid_ of Gaara anymore, his little brother did have a tendency to lash out if touched unexpectedly. He got lucky – no lashing out this time. Instead, those cold eyes looked over at his older brother. "Someone comes." Gaara's voice was flat, seemingly emotionless unless you knew what to listen for. And since he did know, Kankuro heard the slight edge of concern. "Comes quickly." Less than a heartbeat later, they both heard the footsteps that raced up the stairs, and a familiar voice snapping at the 'guards' outside the Kazekage's door. "MOVE!" the young woman snarled. The puppet master didn't wait for Gaara's permission; he rushed to open the door before their sister broke it down. The blonde shoved her way past the middle sibling, panting and clutching a scroll in one hand. She slapped the scroll down on Gaara's desk, biting out her words as she fought to catch her breath. "From Konoha…emergency…" The kunoichi leaned on the desk, slowing her breathing as her youngest brother calmly reached for the paper. Kankuro leaned over to see the message that had made his older sister act so uncharacteristically flustered. He paled as the words sank in. There was a moment of stillness, silent save for their sister's harsh breathing. And then Gaara spoke, sand beginning to swirl around him. "Gather teams. Immediate aid is required. This cannot be allowed." Kankuro stuttered his agreement as Temari straightened up, both siblings rushing out of the door. _'My God' _the puppet master thought in horror. _'To steal the children…'_

**Hana**

'_I'm not really trained for this' _she thought. But she didn't voice the doubt. During this crisis, every person in Konoha with any kind of medical training had been called in to the hospitals. Even a veterinarian. So Inuzuka Hana had come, and been assigned to triage. It was her responsibility to sort out which injuries needed immediate attention, which could wait a few minutes, and which could be dealt with when they got a chance. Up to this point, there had been reports filtered back of a few of the traps which had been encountered. A Jounin pair had been caught by what looked remarkably like the Nara clan's shadow jutsu, requiring a Chunin of said clan to go free the pair. One ninja had twisted an ankle badly when the 'ground' he stepped on turned out to be a genjutsu covering an eight-inch deep pit trap. A slight concussion from another genjutsu that made trees look just a little away from where they were supposed to be, and a few bee stings from an unfortunate soul who triggered a trap that shook a bee hive. But those were all minor things. _'So far, thankfully,'_ she thought, _'we haven't had any major… damn, spoke too soon.'_ She turned towards the patient entrance as a group of five stumbled in, and… she blinked. Rubbed her eyes. Blinked again. _'Yes, I really am seeing this.'_ she thought in amazement. When one of the Jounin pairs sent out had failed to signal their report, a three-man Chunin team was sent to assess their status. In other words, to see if the Jounin were dead. The team had just brought in the pair of Jounin. The young nurse beside her giggled, and Hana herself felt a smile twitch at the corners of her mouth. Her nin-dogs snorted their own laughter, tongues lolling out. The situation was so serious, but this… A rather embarrassed Namiashi Raido glared at the floor, arms crossed over his chest. "I'm _fine_!" the man insisted, and judging by the almost petulant tone of his voice, it wasn't for the first time. One of the three Chunin caught Hana's eye and came over, only to lean in and whisper in her ear. "We found them hanging upside down over the river, and had to cut them down. Personally, I think they're fine, but S.O.P. says that they have to come in due to 'exposure to unidentified substances'." It was all Hana could do to keep from laughing at her patients as she rushed them down to HazMat. _'Unidentified substances indeed'_, she thought, eyeing the thin blue lines crisscrossing all over the two Jounin. _'It almost looks like paint.'_

**Shikamaru**

"Oof" he grunted, setting the box back down with a thud. Shikamaru gave the box of papers a vaguely disgusted look. "Troublesome." he muttered, and then sighed. His thoughts drifted once again to the larger picture. _'Civilians essentially under house arrest, Genins watching the civilians, Chunins drafted for paperwork and messages and everything else while the Jounins are out looking, everyone scared… man, this is such a mess.'_ Catching motion out of the corner of his eye, he called out to his teammate. "Hey, Chouji, this is one you'll have to get." A grunt and a change of directions was his response. The Chunin team had been assigned to clear out the Claims and Reports Office storeroom – they weren't quite sure why, but orders were orders. As Chouji picked up the heavy box, apparently without any effort, one of the forms caught Shikamaru's attention. "Chou, wait!" His friend stopped, looked at his as he snatched the envelope, and then set the box down again. Shikamaru opened the envelope, scanning the contents quickly before reaching out to rifle through the box. Pulling out a few more envelopes, he sat down on one of the sorting tables, eyes widening as an impossible idea began to form. He scanned hurriedly through the papers he had chosen, body going still even as his thoughts began to race. He never noticed Ino storm in, intent on lecturing the two for slacking off. Chouji did, and moved quickly to clamp one big hand over the blonde girl's mouth. The larger Chunin jerked his chin at Shikamaru, and the girl's eyes widened. Seeing that she understood, he released her. Chouji even set down his ever-present chips, the two watching their teammate. They could almost _see_ the pieces falling into place in his mind. Shikamaru never noticed. He was too busy sorting the flood of memories.

_/A small form curled up, bruises over nearly half the child's face…His father's voice, "he shouldn't have hit you. I'm going to fix that". / A little girl, bruises on her face and tears in her eyes, telling the clinic nurse that she fell. / Naruto, chattering excitedly about sitting with Hinata. Waving an arm and saying something about kids plotting pranks. / Standing outside the kitchen, weighing if it was worth it to go inside while his mother banged pots and ranted. "One of our __**own**__, Shukaku. Arrested for assaulting a __**child**__!" / A boy, thin and ragged, leaning against a building as an older girl stops to talk to him. Looking confused, but then hopeful, he straightens up and follows her. / Chunin complaining about a sudden increase in complaint forms… a child nearly skipping out of the Office. / A blank expression, a casual move, a chain reaction… an opponent suddenly gone from sure of victory to being in no position to stop the boy. And Shikamaru trying to remember where he had seen the civilian boy who had just pulled off a strategy worthy of any ninja tactician./ _

It all fell into place, now. It all made sense. "Checkmate" he whispered. And the certainty, the sheer _defeat_ in his voice frightened his teammates.


	18. Epilogue: Present

**A/N:** Wow, it's done... I think I'm in shock - I actually finished it. And now I'm on to the next idea. Still Naruto, but I think anything following these characters is going to have to wait. This other idea has kind of taken over. Anyway, it's been fun everyone.

Thank you to everyone who read this, and especially to everyone who reviewed. **Tilders** and **Veve,** thanks for the wonderful encouragement. And **Josh Crazy,** thanks for the name bit. I had tried to look it up, and most places seemed split between Gen and Shibi, so I just picked one of the two.

* * *

Grey eyes glanced up as a pair of golden birds shrieked overhead. A dark-haired teenager made a familiar gesture, smiling a little as the shadows under the wagon untwined from around his fingers. Shaking the darkness off, he stood and walked down the length of the caravan. His smile widened as the sound of laughter drifted in the air. Ducking between two of the wagons, he paused to watch as an older teenager flared his hands out in an expansive gesture, and the little ones gathered around him gasped. A few more minutes saw the end of the story, and the teenager stood, children pleading with the boy for "one more". But he waved them off, picking up a short cane as he made his way to the younger teen, still chuckling at the children's eagerness. "Time already, Kyo?" the elder asked. He nodded. "Yeah." As the pair set off toward the town, the younger boy couldn't help but shake his head. "You know, Karas, I just can't get over you." Karas tilted his head curiously, so Kyoshiro explained. "It's just… you're actually using your cane. You've _never_ done that, you've always been so determined to not need it." His friend laughed again. "Oh, that! Well, we're traveling now. I can't just memorize the way, you know. And besides" the boy's smile turned mischievous for an instant as he spun said cane like a sword. "Whoever would suspect a blind boy of being able to kick their asses?" "You're impossible." a new voice stated, a brunet falling in beside them. Karas spoke up. "So, Midori, the others are meeting us there?" Midori nodded, and then spoke when he remembered that one of his friends couldn't see the gesture. "Yes. Ash has been playing at a café for today, so it won't be hard for him to get off for lunch. Reiji and Shiroji took the girls shopping, and since Talon and Honey just called…" The three boys laughed and teased each other all the way into town as the day shone brightly in the Waterfall Country.

**Meanwhile**

The atmosphere was tense, heavy with emotion. The Hokage watched from her seat, paying no attention to the report – God knew she had it practically memorized – but silently observing the ninjas packed into the stands of the Chunin Exam stadium. Some, such as Hyuuga Hiashi, grit their teeth and clenched their fists in anger; whether at themselves or their comrades she neither knew nor cared. Some, like Umino Iruka and Maito Gai, openly wept. Still others, such as Nara Shikaku and, surprisingly, Aburame Shibi, bowed their heads as they trembled in shame. Most were still and silent, solemn as the damning words went on and on.

In the aftermath of the disappearance of over ¾ of Konoha's juvenile population – 72 children in all – the city had been thoroughly searched for anything with the names of the missing. Anything to explain such a horrendous loss. And among the overflow of noise and annoyance reports, there had been found a number of hand written accounts, posted by the missing children up to nine months before the exodus. Reports of isolation and abuse, of hurt and hopelessness. Each of which spoke of a child desperately trying to reach out, and a city turning its back on the most helpless of its people. Each of which, after the opening of the first few, were immediately turned in to the Hokage.

It had changed Konoha like nothing else ever had. A number of individuals, both civilian and ninja, had been brought in for questioning, and most of those were subsequently arrested. Hospital and clinic policies were re-written, the health care staff horrified at the amount and intensity of abuse that had slipped past their notice because they had assumed that the bruises, the cuts and the broken bones were merely unusually severe training injuries. Budgets were re-calculated after a careful scrutiny of the population that grants and allowances were normally spent on. Families – those that were still whole, or mostly so – clung together. Shinobi Clans began looking inward, placing emphasis on the individual as well as the clan. The change in the Hyuuga clan was shocking. It was rumored that someone had actually seen a Hyuuga child smile at something besides a victory. So many things were changing; so many problems were being tended to. But it was far too late.

Their own laws had been used against them. One lengthy document had quoted article, paragraph and line number of the various laws that kept Konoha from being able to claim their lost ones, even if they _could_ find them. Article 15, paragraph 4, line 7 pointed out that an Academy graduate was not considered a ninja until he or she had been accepted by a Jounin instructor. Therefore, the letter stated, they could not be listed as missing-nin. Article 35, paragraph 2, line 19 allowed for a Clan child – if they declared themselves not related to their clan, submitted the appropriate documentation, and said clan did not challenge the declaration for six months – to be considered independent. Children as young as three years old were now emancipated, simply because no one paid attention when the child declared him or herself cut off. On and on it went, a carefully planned strategy that left Konoha no legal options.

They had been fools; had been blind to the misery and pain within their own borders – and they had lost their most precious treasure because of it. Konoha had, for all intents and purposes, lost its children.


End file.
